ZombieRadio

MP3 Means "Audio"... right?

I saw a link in this week's edition of MP3.com's newsletter for an interview with KT Tunstall and thought I'd enjoy the audio interview while reviewing email working on blog entries this morning. Little did I know it would BECOME a blog entry.

I'm reading an email newsletter from a company and website named for the most common audio format known in today's market -- MP3.com -- the interview has to be in audio, right? Well, if it WAS I'd be writing about something else this morning. The interview is entirely in TEXT.

From the style in which it's written, you can tell it must have been transcribed from a phone call -- why the hell didn't they post the AUDIO? It doesn't have to be "great" audio, gang. It just has to be audio. Everyone knows she didn't stop by your studio and record a master tape for a quick promotional conversation, but even the the most mediocre quality recording from Skype would have been more welcome than scrolling seven pages of tiny text.

I can absolutely understand including a transcript of the interview along with the audio recording -- but when your name IS audio, you might want to consider making your product audio as well.

Shame on you, MP3.com -- you're one of the companies that is supposed to "get it."

Labels: Industry, Rants

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Label Schmabel

Another example of why the future success of artists, authors, musicians (and all other creatives) no longer lies in the hands of major art galleries, gigantic publishing houses, or big record labels...

Marcia's Video

All this talent, and she pours the perfect pint at my favorite pub (but with talent like this -- not for much longer, I imagine.)

Labels: Rants, Record Labels, Trendwatch

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Radio's Future Appears to be in the Hands of BestBuy Employees

What?
People are having a hard time understanding and justifying the purchase of a HD radio? Gosh. Didn't see THAT coming...

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From InsideRadio:
Inside the store - Trying to buy an HD Radio can be tough.
The HD Radio rollout is quickly moving from the transmitter site to the retail outlet and consumers are being asked to lay out a lot of money to buy a new receiver. Inside Radio recently paid a visit to a number of New York area stores to see what kind of experience listeners' face. Read about our experience - in today's Inside Radio.

HD Radio advocates agree - retail is the weakest link so far.
HD Radio Alliance CEO Peter Ferrara tells Inside Radio they're doing an "amazing amount" in terms of creating consumer awareness, and improving quality. But Ferrara says the retail world is still getting "up to speed with the technology and benefits". High staff turnover at stores isn't helping. ibiquity CEO Bob Struble says there's an online HD Radio University in which sales staff can learn the ins-and-outs of the technology.
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A couple things from ZombieRadio...
Ferrara says the retail world is still getting "up to speed with the technology and benefits" -- ummm. Yeah. Gonna be working awhile on that "benefits" part. A whole fleet of NASCAR racers couldn't get THAT one up to speed!

"Bob Struble says there's an online HD Radio University in which sales staff can learn the ins-and-outs of the technology. " Have fun with that one... how ya gonna get the RADIO LISTENERS to get enroll?

...And exactly what flavor of Kool-Aid will you be serving?

Labels: HD Radio, Industry, Rants

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Slices of Pie

More brilliant insight from InsideRadio.com...

Are :30s destroying radio's pricing power?
One CEO says yes. Cox Radio's Bob Neil says it is teaching buyers they can get the same ratings point and pay 75% of a :60 second rate. Making matters worse he says it's allowed advertisers to take their savings and reinvest it - in other media.

DUH.
Yes, this article is from the 8/2 edition -- but, so what? Is it LESS obvious this week than it was last week than it was how ever many years ago radio geniuses start dividing their inventory into smaller sections and offering it up for a fraction of the price?

Think of it this way guys -- you can sell a whole pie for $20 or you can divide it into slices and sell them for less. BUT, it will take you longer to sell the slices because instead of selling one thing you'll be selling many things. And everyone else in town is selling the same slices of pie for less than your slice of the pie.

If one station would get ballsy enough to say "buy the whole pie or get lost" someone would buy the pie. They would. Simply because it would be the single differentiating factor between all those other guys hawking slices of pie.

And ironically, that means YOU (Radio) would be getting the biggest slice of the media budget pie.

Labels: Profits, Rants, Rates

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