Global Academy Invests in Future
April 9, 2009 by George Williams
Global Radio, parent company of both Capital and Classic FM, is building for the future with a new training program they call “The Global Academy.” Media Monkey John Plunkett from the The Guardian in the U.K. reports:
Global Academy [is] offering internships and work experience placements to more than 500 people a year.
A “work experience placement” is British for a part-time gig. Interns who complete 30 hours of service over a 3 to 4 month period are offered paid positions. The placements will be spread across Global Radio’s media properties, including Capital, Classic FM, the Heart network, LBC, Xfm, Choice and Gold.
Here’s a description of the program from the Global Academy Website:
From Europe’s largest commercial radio company comes the Global Academy - your chance to get valuable experience in the radio and entertainment industry.
The Global Academy provides a structured and tangible program that offers an unprecedented opportunity to get experience in radio. We offer real placements, real experience and real personal development.
When we checked in at the VCU Brandcenter a few months ago we talked about the importance of connecting those with passion and ability to the correct opportunities and training. It’s wonderful to see another advertising giant supporting this ethos. Global Academy founder, Ashley Tabor, worked in hospital radio during his teenage years and has an obvious passion for the medium.
The Global Academy was announced at the Student Radio Conference in Leeds, UK on Tuesday, April 7.
Photo courtesy of Mishel Churkin, used under its Creative Commons licenseCaitlin Crosby in New “Radio Heard Here” Spots
April 8, 2009 by George Williams
Today I’d like to make an announcement. As regular readers are aware, the Radio 2020 blog is part of the Radio Heard Here campaign. For those unaware, here’s a quick breakdown of exactly what Radio Heard Here is, as taken from the main website.
Radio Heard Here, a partnership of the National Association of Broadcasters, the Radio Advertising Bureau and the HD Digital Radio Alliance, is a far-reaching, multiyear initiative designed to reignite the public’s passion for radio. As it embraces and adapts to the arrival of new communications and entertainment devices, radio continues its integral and near-ubiquitous presence in American life.
That’s why I blog here: I’m an Internet geek with a passion for radio. Which brings us around nicely to my announcement. Radio Heard Hear today released a new series of promo spots featuring Caitlin Crosby, among others. The eight 30-second promos are available for listen or download right now. Here is a bit more detail taken from the news release:
The far-ranging creative — including two original Spanish language spots that emphasize radio’s strong bond with the Hispanic community — will reach more than 700 FM HD stations and over 900 FM/AM stations across the country.
As the Hispanic voice becomes more and more important in the United States, I am thrilled to hear Spanish-language spots in this new generation of creative work.
“Radio’s accessibility, content diversity, and personality make it an essential part of the weekly routine for 93 percent of Americans,” said David Rehr, president and CEO of NAB. “Each spot brings to life the different ways radio connects with 235 million weekly listeners.”
The ads “Moving Business” and the Spanish language “Every Dollar” speak to the campaign’s efforts to engage the advertising community in dialogue about radio’s continued relevance and value. The copy focuses specifically on the message that radio is a cost-effective medium for advertisers.
“The next generation of Radio Heard Here spots reflects the marketing efficiencies of strategic and creative radio commercials,” said Jeff Haley, president and CEO of the RAB. “In today’s advertising climate it’s more important than ever for our industry to remind marketers that radio advertising is an ideal solution to deliver their message to consumers.”
In this age of streaming, mobiles, and HD, there are a plethora of ways to consume radio. It is one of the only mediums that currently has one foot planted on each side of the digital divide.
Go check out the spots — along with the Spanish language ones I spoke of earlier, there are two by recording artist Caitlin Crosby. Go ahead folks, tune in!
Next Generation: FM Broadcasts from iPhone?
April 7, 2009 by George Williams
Next Generation is a phrase that can apply to both software and to the younger set. Today I’ll address both.
First let’s take next generation software: the new iPhone operating system. The rumor du jour is that the new iPhone OS will support not only FM reception, but also FM transmission. Via Erik Slivka at MacRumors.com:
[...] the discovery that text strings in the iPhone OS 3.0 software reference a new Broadcom wireless chip, BCM4329, which supports 802.11n wireless connectivity. In digging through the specs for the chip, 9 to 5 Mac has discovered that it also supports both reception and transmission of FM radio signals.
“But they neglected to mention that it also adds the ability to receive and send (the previous model could only receive) information through FM radio signals which theoretically could be used to broadcast sound into car stereos..without external adapters. It could also be used to pick up FM radio music, news and sports broadcasts on their iPhones and even, in August, on iPods.”
As noted, this is still only a rumor, but one I sincerely hope is true. Granted I can stream stations to my iPhone, but not all stations stream (and many may quit depending on how the battle with the RIAA goes up on Capital Hill). It would be nice to add that functionality and more convenient than having to remember which app will let you hear the stream you want.
Next on today’s list, the real next generation: the children of the world. My colleague Doug Zanger (who runs RadioCreativeLand, our sister blog) snuck one past me. I found an article about a terrific online radio project called “Generation Connect” which will be bringing together Israeli, Palestinian, and American teenagers. When I got to the end of the new piece I discovered it was Doug’s company producing it. So now that disclosure has been satisfied, check out this description of the show from the Jerusalem Post article by Mel Bezalel:
Generation Connect, based in Portland, Oregon, launches online on April 13. Its first show will introduce a group of Jewish and Palestinian teenagers aged 13-15, who have been working in partnership for three years.
The youngsters - from Bethlehem, Jaffa and Tel Aviv - come from a variety of backgrounds and will participate in live conversation with their US counterparts.
This is how bridges are built! Once again catering to a primary strength of radio (be it on demand or broadcast): building community. Great stuff, and really nice to see it set up on a “kids talking to kids” platform. This dialogue among children of different cultures will be fascinating to hear. The stream will be carried at Small Plate Radio.
Photo courtesy of Bijoy Mohan, used under its Creative Commons license
Giving HD Radio a Boost?
April 6, 2009 by George Williams
HD Radio uses only one percent of its possible broadcast power, an issue that can cause reception problems when listening indoors. As those of you who follow the issue are aware, a massive NPR Labs study, released in July 2008, determined that increasing HD broadcast power would interfere with analog FM signals. Now the news is in from Washington, D.C., that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is beginning a new study with an eye towards fixing the problem.
The CPB study is aimed at finding ways to improve the HD coverage without producing interference on the FM band.
Amy Gilroy, a senior writer for This Week In Consumer Electronics, a.k.a. TWICE, last week stirred some interesting commentary with this report on the project:
The CPB announced that NPR Labs will conduct the $350,000 study to determine how to boost HD Radio reception so the signal may be stronger indoors for home radio products. [...] The new study on how to better manage an HD Radio power increase is expected to be completed by the end of the summer in time for the National Association of Broadcaster’s (NAB) Show in Philadelphia in September.
Now I’m not sure if I’ll make NAB this year, but I’m sure going to try. If I do I’ll be Tweeting the research results as they are announced (yes, radio2020 is on Twitter. Come follow us.) In the meantime we can only wish them success in their research.
If a way can be found to pump up the power on HD from 1% to 10% it would have fantastic ramifications across the board for this relatively new technology. As someone who has developed a fondness for the multichannel content stations on HD, I am excited to see what the CPB is able to find.
Once we have the results of the study in hand what’s the next step?
“There’s a great deal of motivation on the part of everyone in the radio industry to solve this problem. I know, once the study is concluded, the desire would be to go the FCC as quickly as possible with a widely supported industry recommendation,” said the NPR spokeswoman.
I look forward to writing about that when it occurs!
Photo courtesy of James Cridland, used under ts Creative Commons license
Is Talk Radio Turning Left?
April 3, 2009 by George Williams
MSNBC has been been poaching liberal voices from the ranks of talk radio hosts for some time. Last year they bought — oops, “brought” — Rachel Maddow on board in the 9pm time slot. Viewership jumped. Maddow was previously a host on Air America, a network based on progressive politics. Now MSNBC is at it again, hooking another popular liberal voice from talk radio and bringing him to the small screen. New York Times media reporter, Brain Stelter, reveals that MSNBC signed a contract with radio talk show host Ed Schultz, a self-described “gun-totin’, meat-eatin’ lefty.” According to Stelter:
MSNBC will soon add another liberal radio host, the latest in a series of changes intended to position the network as a venue for left-leaning voices in the evening. Ed Schultz, a radio veteran with a blue-state appeal, will anchor the 6 p.m. hour, to be called “The Ed Show,” starting Monday [April 6, 2009], MSNBC, a unit of NBC Universal, announced Wednesday night.
Talk radio is huge. Take a look at Rush Limbaugh’s following if you don’t believe me. Since its inception it has also been overwhelmingly conservative in nature. Only in recent years has there been any challenge to the status quo in talk radio. Led by Air America — who Schultz has a history of spats with — progressive talk radio has nowhere the reach or hold on audiences that conservatives have amassed. Now, as we enter a new era in the United States with a more progressive administration, it seems liberal talk is going mainstream. Maddow’s success on the radio and in her new cable TV program are a good indicator of the shift. Now Schultz, who calls himself liberal on some issues and conservative on others, will see if his listeners can crossover to viewers. Does talk radio object to being the “minor leagues” for television news show hosts? Why do so many radio talkshow hosts return to the medium after torrid affairs with TV? Why do you think TV networks are poaching talent from talk radio rather than modeling agencies? Do you think the trend of progressive TV talkshow hosts will continue? Do you think the left can match the right in raw radio listenership, or is this just a blip?
Photo courtesy of Bradley G, used under its Creative Commons license