AOL MUSIC LAUNCHES DEDICATED COUNTRY, HIP-HOP SITES: The Boot, naturally, features news, videos, photos, concert listings and other Country music content; The Boom Box featuring Hip Hop- and R&B-centered content. Both sites offer links to related blogs, news category “tags,” exclusive interviews and song premieres as well. Last year, AOL Music launched Indie Rock site Spinner.com (giving new life to the name of the pioneering webcaster that was the forebear to AOL Radio itself) and PopEater, a similar content aggregate for fans of Pop music. AOL says page views for its music section have increased 55% as a result over the past year. MediaPost (here) says, “The music upgrade is part of a wider effort by AOL to revamp or add niche content properties in order to boost traffic and increase display advertising.”

RAIN Analysis: It seems strange to offer dedicated music-centric websites but make it a hunt to find links to your relevant Internet radio stations. Neither “The Boot” nor “The Boom Box” play up AOL Radio’s related Internet radio channels much (The Boom Box at least has links to three Hip Hop or R&B channels on the page; we couldn’t find any such links on the Country site, other than the standard AOL menu bar at the top of all of AOL’s music properties.). As we’ve supposed in the past, onerous streaming music royalty fees are likely causing companies like AOL, that can offer lots of other content for a much lower acquisition cost, to downplay their webcasting.

800+ CLEAR CHANNEL STATIONS TO BE AVAILBLE ON RECIVA DEVICES: Clear Channel now has a deal with Reciva which will enable Recvia-compatible Internet radio devices to receive all of the broadcaster’s 800+ streaming stations. Reciva creates “modules” that allow devices to stream Internet radio in multiple co-decs (WMA, MP3, AAC, Real). Reciva then delivers and updates a directory of stations to the devices, allowing connectivity to thousands of streams. The Reciva Radio Portal makes the same stations accessible via a PC. Reciva-equipped Internet radio devices include the Tangent Quattro (pictured), Acoustic Energy Wi-Fi Internet radio, the BT Internet radio, and the Revo Pico Wi-FI.

EARTHLINK’S PHILADELPHIA WI-FI NETWORK SHUTTING DOWN: After failing to sell its Philadelphia Wi-Fi network, EarthLink plans to shut down the $17 million project on June 12. The company could not even rid themselves of the city-wide network by offering to donate it and $1 million to the city. Philadelphia officials refused to take the network based on the high taxes that would be imposed on citizens for its upkeep. Said Earthlink Chief Executive Officer Rolla Huf, “It’s an idea that simply didn’t make it.” Read the full article here.

CAN INTERNET RADIO HELP FM (ONCE AGAIN) BE A SOURCE FOR NEW MUSIC?: Following reports (see RAIN here) that Clear Channel may forge a partnership with Pandora (which followed Clear Channel’s own eRockster launch and CBS’s deal with AOL and acquisition of Last.fm!), Edison Media Research’s Sean Ross wonders what’s to follow. Will other broadcasters start picking up established webcasters? If so, how will they manage their already expanding programming on HD2 channels? And can an online “discovery” music system help a medium that’s lost a lot of credibility as a source of finding new music? Read Ross online here.

Comment

1. there are also some cool toolbars you just add on to your browser and they have free radio stations on them. like this online radio toolbar

   — Bross · May 21, 02:59 AM · #

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