The Radio Bookmark

How many times have you been in the car listening to a game or a news story and had to park and get out before it finished? I know it’s happened to me innumerable times. Sometimes the luxury of time is there and you can sit in the car and listen to the end, but far more often that is not the case.

Now there is a gizmo that can solve this problem for some listeners. Some public radio stations are using a device that attaches to your key chain to bookmark stories being broadcast so that you can listen to the rest over the Internet.

Via Jim Finkle at Reuters:

The radio bookmark, which looks like a car-door remote control, logs the time of the show a user wants to pull up. At home, a search engine accessed through a website checks to see what the station was broadcasting at that time and delivers the audio recording over the Internet.

“It’s kinda neat. You just press a button. Then you take it and plug it into your computer and up comes the story,” said Mike Steffon, director of marketing for Boston-based public radio station WBUR.

The devices are being used as premiums for donations, the primary revenue source for public stations. At this point he maker of the devices, Sky Blue Technologies, has no plans to offer the unit to commercial stations. The idea and implementation are worth watching though. While this exact device may not be offered to the commercial broadcasters similar functionality could well be inspired for the iPhone, Blackberry or other portable devices.

The concept is the key. I’ll be quite curious to see what this approach inspires!

Photo courtesy of kozumel, used under its Creative Commons license

Cellphone Radio: A Thank You From the NAB

David Rehr, President and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), is writing letters. In particular, he just fired one off to another President/CEO, in this case Robert Dotson, who helms T-Mobile USA.

It’s always nice to receive mail, unless it’s bills of course, and in this case, I’m sure Mr. Dotson quite enjoyed his epistle from the NAB. The topic, you see, is the announcement that the new Nokia 7510 phone is slated to launch with T-Mobile and one of its primary features is an FM receiver. When I first started writing for this blog back in early 2008, I saw this trend beginning to take hold in India and predicted that it would happen on this side of the pond sometime in the near future. That future is now.  The proliferation of radio receivers as a standard feature on mobile units is moving faster every day, a trend that I personally love watching evolve.

The fusion of mobile technology and broadcast is a vital one, especially in this era of smartphones which allow access to broadcast in a variety of ways including streaming over the Internet when a signal is not strong enough for the receiver to pull in. T-Mobile already has a number of mobile units that feature FM capability as a standard, and it is to be hoped that this continues.

Via FMQB:

Rehr noted in the letter that FM radio is an effective method for providing emergency alerts to cellular subscribers, that it is a value-added and low cost handset feature for consumers, and that FM radio can provide a foundation for incremental revenue for cellular network providers. “As an example, through RDS song tagging, a song heard on the FM radio in the handset can be tagged for later purchase over the cellular network’s existing music commerce system,” Rehr wrote. ”This has been successfully implemented with the Microsoft Zune portable music player and can also be applied to making interactive advertising a reality.”

Radio continues to not only remain ubiquitous, but to also actively expand its reach as each new technology presents itself.  I’d like to join the NAB in thanking T-Mobile and Nokia for their forward thinking approach to audio delivery in this new age.

Photo courtesy of psd, used under its Creative Commons license

Detroit: Beating the Recession Blues Using Radio

No matter what industry you work in, chances are high that you or someone you know has either been laid off or has lost a job.  The recession is upon us and the impact is being felt everywhere.  Unease runs rampant.

In Detroit, MI, radio is about to debut as a tool with which to fight the job loss. Between 6 AM and 8 PM Friday, eleven stations in the Detroit area will feature a radio campaign for Goodwill Industries, “Broadcasting For Jobs.” The campaign’s purpose is to raise funds for job placement-oriented programs in the metro area.  Besides placement, the funds raised will be used to expand job training and education programs as well as other career services.

Via The Detroit News:

‘Broadcasting for Jobs’ is a” one-of-a-kind way for Goodwill Industries to reach a large number of Metro Detroiters from all parts of town and let them know they can help their unemployed friends and neighbors find work,” Lorna G. Utley, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, said in a statement. “We believe it’s the first one-day campaign of this magnitude in southeast Michigan or anywhere else.”

I look forward to seeing the results of this effort. Radio has always had a community aspect, something that is true whether speaking of commercial, public or college radio. This has been seen time and again to be astoundingly effective when it comes to raising funds in the wake of disasters. I’m just not sure I’ve ever seen the idea applied to an economic disaster before.

Participating radio stations include WCSX-FM (94.7), WDVD-FM (96.3), WJR-AM (760), WMGC-FM (105.1), WMXD-FM (92.3), WNIC-FM (100.3), WOMC-FM (104.3), WRIF-FM (101.1), WWJ-AM (950), WXYT-FM (97.1) and WYCD-FM (99.5).

Listeners interested in donating will be asked to call (866) 964-GIVE, go to www.goodwilldetroit.org or visit the stations’ individual websites.  Let us hope that this can help put a dent in the continually escalating unemployment numbers!

Photo courtesy of Egan Snow, used under its Creative Commons license

Radio 2020 Is Going Social

Today I would like to announce something that I am very excited about: Radio 2020 is expanding into social media.

There are three new faces of Radio 2020 on the Internet (and yes, for those interested, I will be helming all of them) that I would like to share with you.

Number One: Twitter – The microblogging platform that most of our readers either use or have read about recently. The Radio 2020 Twitter will allow me to interact more directly with our readers, share links to stories about radio that do not make it to the blog, and develop community amongst radio fans and industry pros.

Number Two: LinkedIn – Undoubtedly the most popular social network for professional use, LinkedIn is an excellent resource for people in our or any industry. The shiny new Radio 2020 Group on LinkedIn is a place for us to network with each other, share resources and discussions, and enhance our potential to collaborate for the betterment of radio across the board. (As a matter of fact, even though it has not been launched until now, this group is already attracting a few members within the industry. An upcoming post will be appearing on this site on a topic suggested by one of these “ahead of the curve” members: David Craig (Account Manager at BT Americas).)

Number Three: Facebook – Probably the social network most recognized y the casual user, Facebook has grown by leaps and bounds over the past two years. As a result, it was the obvious place to interact with many of you out there. As we head into the second month of 2009, it’s time to debut our Facebook Page. Come on by and be one of the first to become a fan. Write something on our wall, share the page with other friends and colleagues with an interest in radio’s evolution. Let’s take things to a new level!

If you know of radio stations or DJs that use any of these three platforms, send them over or let me know about them in the comments. It is my hope to not only use these social media tools to enhance interaction, but I will be periodically featuring posts that highlight radio people using social media as we embrace the interactive world of radio in the 21st Century. You may also use these platforms to suggest possible posts that you would like to see me cover in the future here on the Radio 2020 Blog.

Come on, folks, lets interact!

Photo courtesy of Robert Scoble, used under it’s Creative Commons license

Talkin ‘Bout My G-g-g-generation: World’s Youngest DJ Takes to the Airwaves!

This is nothing short of amazing! Holy Radio Announcers, Batman! This kid is eight years old and he already has his own radio show and a world record. I had to wait until I was a freshman in college! For the radio show that is — I never managed the world record part.

To make it easier on those reading this through an RSS feed (in a reader or on the News page of RadioHeardHere), I’m going to link to the videos. Some feed readers have trouble with video embeds so this way no one loses out.

Let’s start with the TV news story about DJ Jack Hill, the world record-setting 8-year-old manning the soundboard at Star Radio 107.7.

[Click For Video from itv's The West Today]

Wow! And people tell me I’m a ball of enthusiasm? I’ve got nothing on this kid; few do! In all of my prior writing about the next generation of radio talent, I never envisioned being able to share a story like this. That’s one of the things I love about writing this blog: the amazing and inspirational stories I discover while I research what I’m going to write about.

There is just something about that kid that puts a big grin on my face as it reminds me of one of the greatest things about radio (as an announcer): it’s fun.

I believe that radio was the first social media. Call in shows in the dawn of broadcast provided a heretofore unknown level of interactivity compared to what had gone before. (I also saw someone refer to radio as “the original wireless device” recently but I cannot recall where.) It’s that connection that fuels the popularity of our industry’s greatest announcers be they DJs, sportscasters, or talk radio personalities. When the on-air voice is having a great time, the listeners often do as well. In my experience, being on the air is fun at a very visceral level. Now think about that while you watch the following two-minute video as the World’s Youngest DJ sends you off with something upbeat!

[ DJ Jack Hill Breakdown]

For more on DJ Jack Hill check out the article on the World Records Academy Website

Oh yeah!

Photo courtesy of Intangible Arts, used under its Creative Commons license

Global Picture: Radio One Grows Revenue by 72 Percent

So here we are, the first month of 2009 is already coming to a close and everyone is practically holding their breath waiting to see what the combination of economic conditions and a new Presidential Administration will have upon our industry.

With that in mind. it’s time for another one of my regular looks at radio outside of our borders. In this case, let’s glance at some positive news just in from India.

Via Exchange4 Media:

Amid the slowdown gloom Radio One, the joint venture between Mid-Day Multimedia and BBC Worldwide, has something to cheer about. The FM player has reported a 72 per cent growth in revenues for the period April to December 2008 as it declared its Q3 results on January 20, 2009.

Once again, this proves that a global perspective is important. As the global economy continues its tailspin, cases like this can provide not only inspiration but also ideas on how to ride out the financial storm and maintain profitability. Granted, that is not always the case, but we can often re-contextualize the approach of others and find useful techniques that we can use here in the US.

So, how have they achieved this?

Commenting on the Q3 results, Vineet Singh Hukmani, CEO, Radio One, said, “Despite a great H1 and the subsequent slowdown in Q3 in the industry this year, we have maintained our performance from Q2 to Q3, essentially due to focus on targeted listenership, efficiency pricing and stringent cost control. Our new stations – Ahmedabad, Pune and Kolkata – operate efficiently with an average of less than 14 people each, and our all India costs are lower than the industry average by 39 per cent. Our all India headcount in seven cities is 144 people against the industry average of 235-250 people across seven metro cities. Our marketing and advertising costs are not even 20 per cent of the industry average.”

Interesting food for thought, isn’t it? Especially when you look at the order in which these factors are presented. Just as with the ongoing push into the mobile arena, we once again see “targeted listenership” at the forefront of the list.

Radio One is a joint venture between Mid-Day Multimedia and BBC Worldwide which operates in seven cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata (which was only added to the roster in December of ’08).

Photo courtesy of Swami Stream, used under its Creative Commons license

Obama On The Air

I’m writing this on the morning of January 20, Inauguration Day. In the background, I keep switching between NPR and a variety of commercial stations, listening to the stupendous array of coverage this historic moment is accruing.

It is not just here in the States that the excitement is raging. All over the world, people are paying more attention to this passing of the torch than any prior election I can think of. Of course, radio is at the forefront of the coverage. Andy Carvin and others from NPR are actively Twittering the proceedings in addition to the ongoing radio coverage, showing once more the evolution of radio into the digital medium. (Follow Andy on Twitter at @acarvin.)

But that’s not all.

The BBC reports that in Northern Ireland a radio station in Moneygall has changed its name temporarily to “Obama FM.” “It’s kind of a tenuous link – it’s his great, great, great grandfather from Moneygall,” station director Alan Swan said.

Barack Obama made his last radio address as President-elect on the 8th of this month. As he prepares to take office, that final address has been transcribed and posted in a number of places. Here is a link to the transcript on the Los Angeles Times website. (I chose the LA Times because they also include the YouTube video of this address.)

As the unprecedented crowds stand in the utter chill of Washington, D.C., waiting for history to be made, the coverage via Internet-driven media is staggering. Of course, along with that comes the realization that the digital infrastructure may not be up to the challenge. Additional cell towers and broadcast vans are still being rolled out as the mobile companies attempt to prepare for the stupendous amount of text and pictures that have already begun to inundate their infrastructure. Speculation on how long it will take Twitter to become overloaded and display its legendary “Fail Whale” has been rampant since at least last night. Nicholas Deleon over at Crunch Gear has the latest.

This brings me to my favorite thing about radio:  it is not part of that particular discussion. As long as there are transmitters, there is no need to worry about bandwidth or cell tower issues. Granted, if you are streaming your radio signal, you may experience problems but broadcast is blithely unaffected.

Today we make history, and today radio is the single most reliable and easily implemented way of sharing it.

See you Thursday!

Photo courtesy of Neeta Lind, used under its Creative Commons license

Sound Exchange and Public Broadcasters Reach Royalty Accord

While all eyes are focused on Washington, D.C., today for the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, other issues of import are occurring despite being eclipsed from the spotlight. One of those is the fact that the  long-running dispute over webcasting royalties has now been partially resolved.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and SoundExchange have reached an agreement establishing both the royalty rates and payment plan for streaming music between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2010.

Via Sci-Tech Today:

“This important agreement will ensure that the artists heard on public radio station Web sites will receive compensation and will enable public radio webcasters to continue to meet their public service, nonprofit missions,” Pat Harrison, chief executive of CPB said in the statement.

So that still leaves us with the question of how things are going to shake out on the for-profit end of the spectrum. The Sci-Tech article goes into much greater depth than I am able to here so I advise giving it the once over. As our stations expand into the new frontier of cyberspace, these royalty issues are of incredible importance. Decisions made here will directly affect the evolution of the medium.

The National Association of Broadcasters, which represents [...] traditional stations, said it looks forward to sitting down with SoundExchange “to craft equitable streaming rates that enhance the online music experience and expose more artists to our listeners.”

In the meantime, this is big news for public radio across the board.

Photo courtesy of A. www.viajar24h.com, used under its Creative Commons license

An Interview with Rick Boyko, Managing Director of the VCU Brandcenter

Since I find the subject intriguing, today I am going to follow up on the post I did last Friday about the new program focusing on radio creatives that is being launched by the VCU Brandcenter and receiving $250K of funding from the Radio Advertising Bureau.

After writing that post I reached out to some colleagues at the Brandcenter and managed to arrange a brief chat with the Managing Director, Rick Boyko. Little did I realize that the difference in time zones would have me on the phone with him at 7:00am my time! Still, Mr. Boyko was patient with my caffeine deprivation and filled me in a little on the thoughts behind this new program.

R2020: What are the two key elements of this new program?

RB: Exposing students to the medium of radio in a way that allows them to evaluate its potential. Radio is not the first thing that comes to mind for many creatives when considering campaigns. You often see the media departments and sales force engaged, but not the creatives themselves. By exposing the students to the power of radio we make them aware of its potential.

The second key thing would be to challenge them. Challenge them to use the medium in an original and exciting way.

R2020: So what would you say are some examples of truly outstanding radio creative in real world campaigns?

RB: Well, there’s David Fowler’s campaign for Motel 6, the “We’ll leave the light on for you” ads. Another one that comes to mind is the Real Men of Genius.

These campaigns are great examples of long-running campaigns featuring serialized stories. This sort of approach is a vastly underleveraged form that radio is well suited for while most other forms of media are not.

R2020: So the sense of continuity is important then?

RB: Yes, exactly.

R2020: So would you mind telling our readers what some of the plans are for using the funds the RAB has committed?

RB: Some of it will be used to fund scholarships, something of even more importance in the current economic climate, and some will be used for physical upgrades to our facilities. A portion will be used to provide soundproofing and technology for a “control room” where the students can produce their audio.

R2020: So I’d like to close with my traditional ending questions: what are your favorite radio memories and why do believe radio is so important?

RB: When I was a child my first radio, transistor radio, was turquoise and beige with a big dial on the front of it. One of my fondest radio memories — and I’m dating myself here — is listening to Elvis Presley on that radio.

The most moving memory I have about radio is listening to the broadcast when President Kennedy was shot.

The most important thing about radio? You can get it anywhere. Anywhere at all!

Photo courtesy of the VCU Brandcenter

RAB and VCU Brand Center: Incubating the Next Generation of Radio Creatives

The audience for radio is constantly expanding. In 2008, it increased by over 3 million listeners. Unfortunately, advertising revenue decreased for the year, and the creative pool that generates the ads is shrinking.

Enter the VCU BrandCenter and the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB)*, which are collaborating on the establishment of the Brandcenter’s  first radio-advertising curriculum. Andrew Hampp, whom I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing at Advertising Week, brings us the money quotes from Jeff Haley (president/CEO f the RAB) and Rick Boyko from the VCU BrandCenter in his latest post on AdAge:

Creative is a long-standing problem with our business, because for too long it’s been relegated to the back benches of the major creative agency teams,” [Haley] said. “Radio represents what I call working media. It’s very efficient, very effective, and we’re certainly seeing a renewed emphasis on working media going into 2009. We want radio creative to be at the forefront of that.”

Rick Boyko, managing director of the VCU BrandCenter, echoed Mr. Haley’s thoughts on radio’s perceived obsolescence. “It’s still a terrific medium that’s been underleveraged creatively. A lot of agency creatives would rather work in the digital space or on TV than really focus on radio,” he said. “One of the challenges is to get people to want to write for radio in a much bigger way. Instead of it being, ‘We’ll do this campaign, and we’ll do TV spot X, Y and Z,’ radio can sometimes be the key driver.”

This is a great step forward in my opinion. As new generations of creatives come up through the educational system they will now have a viable introduction to the art of  “on-air” creative. The RAB will be donating a quarter million dollars ($50K per year for five years) to ensure that they have the opportunity and resources. Couple that funding with the array of creatives available to mentor them at the VCU BrandCenter and the RAB’s relationship with the Radio Mercury Awards and a potent gestalt begins to take shape.

The audience continues to grow. It is up to us to help nurture those who will bring our medium into the future. It is my hope that this curriculum will help us to boldly go where no creative has gone before!

*Transparency Note: The VCU BrandCenter is heavily involved in the Radio Heard Here campaign of which this blog is a part. Radio Heard Here is a joint effort of the NAB, RAB, and HD Radio Alliance. For more info please see our About page.

Photo courtesy of Mark Sebastian, used under its Creative Commons license