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OXENFORD: LABELS MAY RETURN TO ARGUMENT THAT WIRELESS DELIVERY IS MORE VALUABLE, THANKS TO iPHONE: With the success and popularity of iPhone Internet radio applications may come calls for increased royalty rates for mobile delivery, speculates David Oxenford. SoundExchange originally proposed that content delivered through wireless networks be subject to a higher fee, “alleging that these performances were somehow more valuable.” Though the proposal was dismissed by the CRB, Oxenford writes that the issue could come up again in the new rate discussions, set to begin next year, due to the popularity of the iPhone. While this increased popularity of mobile Internet radio may make wireless delivery “more valuable,” Oxenford argues that a degree of interactivity is lost when the user is no longer paying close attention to such things as banner ads—thereby subtracting mobile streams’ value. Unless other advertising means could be implemented, Internet radio’s interactivity “actually suffers from mobility.” Read more of his thoughts here.

CONSULTANT URGES RADIO NOT TO LOSE ROLE AS NEW MUSIC “ADVISOR” TO NET RADIO: As Internet radio gains visibility, Sean Ross of Edison Media Research advises radio on how to enhance and rejuvenate its role (and more importantly, its image) as a “curator” of new music. He reasons that online services like Pandora or Last.fm gain popularity through their recommendations—a service broadcast radio could also provide. Instead of exclusively playing “new music” off a catalog, DJs and PDs should delve into the music and provide their own recommendations, perhaps even going so far as creating an online blog “that talks about why a station is playing a song,” suggests Ross. This rejuvenates radio’s role not as a music gatekeeper, but as a taste-maker—a savvy curator of new music. “The job here isn’t just to be acknowledged for playing new music, it’s to be actively appreciated for finding it.” For more, read the full article here.

SNIPIT SERVICE SENDS SONG, AD INFO TO YOUR PHONE: Listeners of broadcast radio can discover information about songs or advertisements through SnipIT. A mobile phone service, SnipIT provides users with a list of recent tracks and ads after they text the station’s call letters to SnipIT (764748). The service benefits advertisers by creating a direct link between consumers and companies, providing anything from a phone number to special offers and coupons. “More significantly,” said president of SnipIT developer Hyran Media Peter Hartmaier, “[Our test] shows that listeners will use SnipIT to request advertiser information at rates more than 20 times the typical banner ad.”

NEW WINAMP INCLUDES CBS RADIO: AOL-owned Nullsoft last week released the newest version of Winamp which includes AOL Radio, and thus features CBS’s 150 streaming radio stations due to the broadcaster’s partnership with AOL. However, not all of CBS’s stations are included and listeners are reportedly subjected to a lengthy segment of commercials and public service announcements. For a full review of the new media player, read BetaNews’ coverage here.

VTRONICS OFFERS ANOTHER BUDGET OPTION IN WI-FI RADIOS: The VTronics iMedia100 Internet radio desktop player follows a familiar design we’ve seen in other devices: wood-trim, a large volume knob, several buttons, a medium-sized LCD screen, and a single speaker. The player comes with pre-configured stations, but users must use MyRadio123.com to add their own streams. Beyond some reported firmware update problems, the iMedia100 player scores points with the low price of $150. For a comprehensive review of the device, read OS News’ coverage here.

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