 RAIN 01/15: Obama FCC pick would bring Internet, new media experience ·Jan 15, 11:00 AM LOOK FOR FCC TO FOCUS ON NEW MEDIA ISSUES, SAY SOME The fact that President-elect Obama’s pick to head the FCC comes from a tech and venture capital background is encouraging to many looking to promote new media technologies in radio. Julius Genachowski was previously a general counsel to the FCC and was Obama’s campaign technology adviser. Both the Wall Street Journal (here) and the Washington Post (here) point out that Genachowski’s new media background may mean he’ll primarily focus on Internet issues, such as net neutrality and broadband expansion. Industry expert and attorney David Oxenford speculates on how growing new media competition in broadcasting could sway the FCC’s focus in the near future (here). “In this environment, does the FCC need to regulate broadcast localism? Not when broadcasters will be doing it out of self-defense, as localism will truly be the only way that broadcasters can distinguish themselves from the flood of other media coming to every consumer,” he writes. DALLAS OBSERVER: NET RADIO, DELIVERED THROUGH CELL PHONES, COULD “TOPPLE iPODS” “Mobile phones are a radio-killing app, making the Web’s entire panoply of music fully portable,” writes Chris Parker of the Dallas Observer. He notes that the Internet not only delivers digital downloads straight to mobile phones, but webcasts as well. “Internet radio and subscription services threatens to revolutionize the idea of ‘broadcasting.’ Using cellphones as their portals, online music companies can specifically target the techno-savvy, tastemaking under-35 demographic,” Parker states. Additionally, suggestion-based webcasts like Pandora “opens an entirely new avenue of artist exposure. Liberated from the home computer and available in cars via Bluetooth, streamed audio has the potential to boost artists’ profiles in the way MTV or radio once did.” Read the full article here.
CBS RADIO SITES SAW TRAFFIC GROWTH IN 2008, BUT NOTHING LIKE LAST.FMLast.fm experienced triple-digit growth in 2008, according to Nielsen. Total minutes spent on the site increased 141%, while unique visitor hits on the site increased 204% and page views jumped 219%. CBS, which purchased Last.fm in May of 2007 (RAIN coverage here), also saw increased traffic to its other radio websites — though their overall growth of 30% is dwarfed by Last.fm’s increases (RAIN coverage here). Last.fm credited its growing success to CBS’ acquisition. “Being part of the CBS family has given us a solid foundation from which to build on this success,” said Last.fm co-founder Martin Stiksel. For more, read Wired’s coverage here.
UNITED AIRLINES TO ADD IN-FLIGHT INTERNETUnited Airlines will install Aircell’s Gogo in-flight Internet service to thirteen airplanes by the second half of 2009. In-flight Wi-Fi access will then be available for $12.95. Aircell already provides in-flight Wi-Fi to American, Delta, Virgin America and Air Canada. For more, read Engadget’s coverage here.
GRACE DIGITAL LAUNCHES NEW LINE OF INTERNET RADIOSGrace Digital introduced their second generation of Internet radio and networked media players. Available in February, the five devices range in price (from $150 to $350) and features. The line-up includes the GDI-IRP600, a battery-powered Internet radio that Grace Digital says receives 14 hours of life from 6 AA batteries. Other players include the GDI-IR3020 (pictured), with an iPod dock, and the GDI-IR1000 wood-cabinet model. For more, read Grace Digital’s press release here.share: del.icio.us.  Reddit  Digg  Yahoo  Wink  Windows  Google  Newsvine 
CommentCommenting is closed for this article.  Other stories RAIN has upgraded (and moved)! RAIN 9/13: RAIN Summit Chicago takes place today! RAIN 9/12: First Summit in RAIN's hometown takes place tomorrow RAIN 9/9: Summer holidays, "doldrums" impact July Webcast Metrics, but audience up over last year RAIN 9/8: Clear Channel launches new customizable iHeartRadio beta; RAIN goes hands-on RAIN 9/7: Meet more speakers you'll hear at RAIN Summit Chicago in less than a week RAIN 9/6: Clear Channel taps The Echo Nest to take on Pandora RAIN 9/2: RAIN reviews Spotify's radio-like product Artist Radio RAIN 9/1: UK online radio aggregator Radioplayer campaigns b'dcasters to create "all radio" ratings RAIN 8/31: Execs from Merlin, Triton Digital, jacAPPS and more to appear at RAIN Summit Chicago |
