It is going to cost money to make the changes, but it will demonstrate growth potential. These adjustments need to be made within the next three years. In 2007, The Clear Channel radio group began a social networking experiment in twelve of its markets, but as of yet, not much has been said about the progress of the plan.
CBS Radio and New Media
Through an alliance, CBS, Yahoo, and AOL have combined forces to take the lead in old and new media social networking. CBS will place Yahoo’s LAUNCHcast on its existing AOL platform, Last FM. This will combine Internet and music-focused social network sites. In addition to LAUNCHcast’s 150 channels, CBS will also add many of its traditional properties into the mix. That’s not all; CBS will takeover ad sales for all Launchcast stations, combining with its current roster of around 400, which includes AOL-owned stations. Advertisers will be able to buy across all three owners or separately. Hopefully, news like this will encourage others towards a new direction.
Mobile Media
MP3 downloadable players for cell phones could turn out to be an asset, not a threat to radio. In fact, Mysimbook.com has developed a software program for Apple iPhone users, “Radiolicious”. The cell user can stream audio and web content from any station signed to the service at no cost to the iPhone user. This unites the Internet, traditional radio, and social networking with the cell phone. Stations are categorized by genre and location, making it easy for users to find the stations and add them to their “Favorites” list. Subscribers can also access Internet-only audio streams, share music with friends, and buy songs directly from iTunes while using the player.
There are several mobile companies with similar technologies preparing to make cell phones a one-stop shop for new media. Radio is being offered another opportunity to inject original programming with the Y Generation lifestyle. Traditional broadcasters can ill afford to utilize the technology by merely making existing radio available via a new delivery system.
Ratings Measurement
In Portable People Meter Markets, stations are provided encoders for the Internet; the embedded code IDs the owner of the site and not the content. Therefore, combining the old and new media could potentially help ratings; for Arbitron or Nielsen measured markets, it would be smart marketing and great for business. For sales purposes, advertising agencies will always need a way to measure the product, regardless of who conducts the measurement; this proactive approach will be more in line with a growing new media.
Article comments
1 - john volpe
Do you know how I might contact Buzz Bennett?