Wired recently posted an interesting article in their blog network.
Some key points from it include:
AOL Radio, imeem, Flycast, Last.fm,
Omnifone, Pandora, SeeqPod, Shoutcast, Slacker and others already
deliver interactive radio to the cellphone that's so good, it's finally a
feasible replacement for the occasionally tedious task of keeping your portable
music collection fresh.
That's one reason why, in the
immediate future, interactive radio will have a better chance of taking over mobile
music market share than on-demand streaming or over-the-air download services.
Another is that after ten or so years of moving away from programmed music,
people are happy to let someone else do the work for a change. We could be
moving towards a future when finding music in an online music store or file
sharing network, downloading it, then sideloading it onto a portable will be
come to seen as a waste of time.
With that in mind, here are five ways
the cellphone will change the way you listen to music:
1.
Yes,
interactive radio on your phone can replace your MP3 player on some days
2.
You'll pay
for music in subtle ways
3.
The
streaming services you customize for your phone will spread to other areas of
your home
4.
You'll still
use an MP3 player from time to time, but it will have cellphone-like features
5. Music blogs will program internet radio stations
Broadcast radio has a large opportunity in this space because they do have
the content and the personalities; but that opportunity is quickly disappearing
to more nimble companies with a better view of the listener-programmer
relationship.
I am not sure that I agree with all of the points below exactly as Mr. Van
Buskirk writes, but #1 and #5 certainly resonate with me. Take, for example, the quick playlist
that I put together below, compiled from existing songs played at low levels on
radio.
The decision to play or not play songs should, frankly, not solely be in the hands of the program directors and music directors but directly incorporate social feedback from the listeners. When I see growing networks like Blip.FM (Twitter meets Last.FM), I see the future of programming and feedback.
The fact is that broadcast radio can be a platform for future entertainment
if the owners, programmers and managers allow their view of programming to
change and expand. I have spent years staring at radio data (music & ads)
and seen that consumers are losing their connection to the local brands simply
because those brands have lost touch with them.
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