Boston-area stations owned by Greater Media, Clear Channel, CBS, Emerson College and the University of Massachusetts are among those taking part in a field trial of an HD Radio Electronic Program Guide, which would provide an on-screen listing of scheduled shows. The results of the testing, which is part of the NAB FASTROAD initiative, will be shared at the NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia.
Archive for July, 2009
HD Radio EPG Project in Boston Test
On July - 30 - 2009
Featured Voice: Jake Kaplan
On July - 29 - 2009
Jake Kaplan is a Los Angeles based voice-over talent and producer. As Production Director at the world famous KROQ, Jake’s voice and production is heard by over 2 million people weekly.
Jake production and voice can also be heard on San Francisco’s Live 105, and various stations around the United States. Jake is also the voice of KAMP Amp Radio 97.1. You can listen to an off air imaging montage of Amp Radio 97.1 here. Click to listen now.
Visit Jake Kaplan online at www.jakekaplan.com.
Jake Kaplan Demo
KROQ LA Invasion Promo
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This Is Why HD Radio Still Fails
On July - 28 - 2009
America still has mixed emotions when it comes to buying HD Radio. Not because they don’t know what the technology is, although, some really needs to be educated, but because they simply don’t know the benefits of it.
Stations spend thousands of dollars in promoting their HD Channels, yet the common listeners still are not inclined in purchasing a unit. The failure is in promoting the product. Radio stations broadcasting can tie up with HD Radio dealers to offer listeners discount coupons. Encourage listeners to buy HD Radio, be specific in what kind of music they hear on your HD Radio Channels, and overall, make the technology in demand.
Mark Lapidus has an interesting article about why people should buy HD radio. Read the rest of this entry »
Top iPhone Apps For Production
On July - 25 - 2009
iPhone wasn’t really invented for producing. But producers are born to create music out from just about anything, including iPhone. Now, if you’re gonna go out to the iPhone app store, you’d probably stumble upon a few apps for music production, but you’ll find this a list of cool apps for starters and for pros.
When you’re out in the street, on a summer vacation, don’t let distance from your studio hinder you from creating the next big hit. Radio producers, the next best thing that happened to your production may just come from your first iPhone creation. Check these out!
5 Easy Ways To $10-less Pop Filter
On July - 22 - 2009
With a recording tool that can be substituted with a panty hose or a thin sheet of paper, many still find the expensive price of microphone pop filters to be surprising. But while a holding a sheet of paper or cloth in front of your mouth can be annoying, anyone can actually create a home-made microphone “puff” screen that as as effective as the commercial ones.
We’ve scoured the internet to find 5 easy ways to create your own mic pop filter. They all look the same. But see, 5 ideas are better than 1.
The goal of this list is to provide practical options. This is should not necessarily be an alternative to investing a commercial pop filter. But just in case, you’re out of town and you forgot your filter, these might help. Read the rest of this entry »
7 Ways Radio Uses Twitter
On July - 17 - 2009
Aside from the usual I-just-read, I-just-saw, or check-this-out type of updates, there is so much more you can do with Twitter. I checked on how some of the biggest radio stations “Twitter”, and these are what they’re using and WILL BE using. (No particular order)
How-To on Making Contests Work
On July - 15 - 2009
For certain audiences, contests can generate some interest on a short term basis. But you must remember, spikes in ratings that occur simply because of greed or curiosity actually hurt a radio station. Advertisers need stability. If they don’t see it, they can’t trust that you’ll deliver the numbers they see published in the ratings report. There is a world of difference between a spike and genuine growth. How can we best use contests to get more genuine growth?
Promotions can work
A contest needs to be part of a promotion. It can’t be just a giveaway. It must connect with an existing interest. For example, if video games are a part of your listeners’ lifestyle create an environment where habitual listening to the station enhances the emotions that the listeners feel about video games. In other words, as a station, you need to amplify the lifestyle experiences of the listeners. And this must be true of the average listener, not the average contest player. There is a big difference. Read the rest of this entry »
20 Cool HD Radio Receiver Designs
On July - 14 - 2009
In light of the release of Insignia NS-HD01, the world’s “first real portable HD Radio”, we can’t help but be amazed at the development of HD Radio technology. Sales of receivers have gone up, and sizes are getting smaller, but designs are also getting hipper. From table tops to handhelds, let’s take a look at the coolest HD Radio designs in no particular order. Which one’s your favorite? (Photo by Photograph by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times)
How Michael’s Death Gave Radio A Chance
On July - 11 - 2009
Some call it a media frenzy, most are convinced it is just but rightful to pay homage to the King of Pop. Opinions may have differed about how media responded to the death of Michael Jackson, but radio once again has positioned itself to be a powerful medium.
While visual tributes are only limited to special segments and updates on TV, radio generously gave the listeners, and the King of Pop himself an appropriate honoring, and what better way should we say, than playing his songs 24-7.
Radio quickly responded by switching to a 24-hour all Michael Jackson programming. I believe that even at the heart of his wake, people turned to radio, remembering his songs, the contributions he gave to the industry and to the people as a whole. Once again, radio was a star. And it only proves, indeed there are things that radio can do that no other medium can.
Our salute to the stations who creatively and generously re-programmed themselves for honoring the King of Pop, from Station Managers, Program Directors, On Air Personalities and Producers, many thanks on behalf of all Michael Jackson fans.
We also want to give credit to all production companies who have taken part, special mentions to Production Vault, JAM Creative Productions, 1330 Networks, and Devaweb (Chris Stevens).
Michael Jackson Tribute by 1330 Networks/JAM Creative Productions
This 4:30 ID is produced by Jon Wolfert of JAM Creative Productions, who is also the producer of the Valier Radio Show of 1330 Networks.
Michael Jackson Promo by Devaweb (www.devaweb.co.uk)
The 2 cuts were produced by Chris Stevens of Devaweb – an award-winning production outfit based in the UK and voiced by Andrew White (www.mightywhite.net). These were distributed free and were broadcast in over 75 stations worldwide .
Michael Jackson Clip Montage from Production Vault (www.productionvault.com)
Michael Jackson Reaction Cuts, Promo Shells, and Montages are major highlights in the month of June and July on ProductionVault.com. In fact, they put up an entirely new category aptly labeled “Michael Jackson”.
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Radio Should Learn From Sony Walkman
On July - 3 - 2009
It has been 30 years since the birth of a portable media icon – the Sony Walkman. In July 1st of 1979, the TPS-L2 model, popularly known as the blue-silver Walkman model, hit the stores in Japan, and the rest is history.
Walkman is an enduring brand, even with fierce competition with another digital media device, you don’t have to mention the name, but you can call it iPod. Yet, PC World calls it one of the 50 Greatest Gadgets of the last half century. Surprisingly, Walkman’s impact in sales and on pop culture, cannot be even be rivaled by that of iPod, even if the Apple product existed long before.
The Walkman is a promising device and those who grow up with it, including me, couldn’t imagine a daily trip on the subway without it. Yet, it has to withstand a number of competition. And mightily, it graced though quite a number of upgrades in the last 30 years, embracing new formats such as CD, mini-disc, and then the digital audio.
It’s most trying moment, was its shift to the digital format. When MP3 was just starting to change the way we listen to music, Sony already had the NetMD Or NetworkMD. It’s flagship model — MZ-N10 allows users to convert music files (including mp3) from PC to Walkman. But it still uses the mini-disc as a storage medium, therefore, didn’t really directly play mp3 files.
Come 2003, Sony released NW-MS70D, the same year Apple hit sales blockbluster with the iPod. The market gave less favor to the NW-MS70D due to its incompatability to play the MP3 format. Aside from that, it came with a hefty price tag and limited storage.
Learning from experience, Sony, later on, embraced a hard drive storage, improved software and allowed direct mp3 playback. And Walkman was back in the business.
What’s the moral lesson here for the radio industry, ADAPT! Radio needs to listen to what the listeners need.
Thirty years ago this week Sony kicked off a revolution in the consumer electronics market with the introduction of the Walkman. See how the portable audio market has changed since then.
