[BC] Wanna start something?

[Gil]

OK ? I?m the quasi-techie with the investment background, if you 
recall.  But this looks like some interesting points.  We have hashed and 
re-hashed a lot of these
on the net, but there are a couple of new ideas here.  So I would like to 
see some tech input on some of these before ? or perhaps even if - I put 
some money to work.

This is from Forbes.com this morning.

Gil
?The Big G at KAFE? in a past life


The Digital Life
Radio Must Change. Here's How
Arik Hesseldahl, 05.27.05, 11:18 AM ET

[]

NEW YORK - When I look at the radio on my kitchen counter these days, all I 
can think about is change--how much radio hasn't changed and how much it 
needs to.

The radio is almost always on in my house. We like radio so much that it's 
not uncommon to have two or three radios in different rooms all tuned to 
the same thing.

But I'm also finding myself listening to radio more via the Internet. I 
have a broadband connection and can stream stations from pretty much 
anywhere in the world. I live in New York but listen to shows from Los 
Angeles and Oregon. I record them on a schedule and save them to my Apple 
(nasdaq: 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?tkr=AAPL>AAPL 
- <http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=AAPL>news - 
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=AAPL>people 
) iPod.

It turns out I'm not alone. A recent survey by the NPD Group says that more 
than 53 million people tune in to radio via their computers. That's up 
about 18% over last year. Meanwhile, people listening to traditional radio 
fell by 4% to 194 million people.

People who pay attention to such things are gabbing endlessly about 
podcasting these days. Podcasts are Internet audio programs that you can 
subscribe to and store on your PC, iPod or other MP3 player.

Every radio station everywhere should be streaming its programming live on 
the Internet and should also be making popular shows available as single 
downloads that consumers can download and listen to as they wish. Young 
people in particular are getting conditioned to consuming any media they 
want whenever and however they want it. Radio is going to have to adjust 
accordingly.

It's too new a trend to gauge how many people listen to podcasts regularly, 
but it's already caught the attention of big media companies. Viacom (nyse: 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?tkr=VIAb>VIAb 
- <http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=VIAb>news - 
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=VIAb>people 
) converted one ratings-challenged radio station in San Francisco to an 
all-podcasting format. And just this week The Walt Disney Co.'s (nyse: 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?tkr=DIS>DIS 
- <http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=DIS>news - 
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=DIS>people 
) ABC and General Electric's (nyse: 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?tkr=GE>GE 
- <http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=GE>news - 
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=GE>people 
) NBC announced the launch of news-oriented podcasts.

Apple Computer Chief Executive 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/personinfo/FromPersonIdPersonTearsheet.jhtml?passedPersonId=227856>Steve 
Jobs said that the next version of its iTunes software, due this summer, 
will let users organize their podcasts. Sirius Satellite Radio (nasdaq: 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?tkr=SIRI>SIRI 
- <http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=SIRI>news - 
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=SIRI>people 
) is also getting into the act (see: 
"<http://forbes.com/facesinthenews/2005/05/02/0502autofacescan06.html>Karmazin's 
Sirius To Create Podcasting Channel").

Lots of people think podcasting represents some kind of populist media 
revolution similar to blogging. But that's missing the point. What 
podcasting really represents is that consumers want Internet-based radio so 
they can listen when and how they want.

Were I the owner of a radio broadcaster, I'd be investing not only in 
streaming but in offering an archive of past shows, and the ability to 
deliver fee-based specialty programs with high production values. These 
could be shows that might not make the usual broadcast format but would be 
exclusive to the Internet.

Beyond that, I'd look at getting heavily involved with efforts at 
promulgating wireless broadband like WiMax and at encouraging consumer 
electronics manufacturers to start designing radios to grab the usual AM/FM 
and satellite broadcasts but also reach out to the Internet just as easily.

Philips Electronics (nyse: 
<http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?tkr=PHG>PHG 
- <http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=PHG>news - 
<http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=PHG>people 
) has pushed the boundaries of this a bit with its Streamium line of audio 
products, some of which support Wi-Fi. Another outfit, Australia's Torian, 
has created a portable MP3 player with a Wi-Fi capability designed to 
stream Internet audio.

Wi-Fi is a good start, but it has limitations. It's useful when you're 
within range of an access point or public hot spot. WiMax, which can 
deliver network connectivity over several miles, should be the broadband 
technology that gets broadcasters excited.

Think of the potential: a reach far beyond the boundaries of a single 
geographical region that will broaden the appeal to advertisers. 
Specialized programming that might not work on a traditional broadcast 
station can reach wider audiences and attract the attention of niche 
advertisers.

Podcasts are great because they often cater to narrow interests with 
programs that would not make commercial sense as traditional broadcast 
shows. Throw high production values at a show with a targeted audience and 
make it widely available, and you'd have the equivalent of cable TV on 
radio. Think the Food Network or the History Channel for your ears. If 
you're into old 78 RPM records or really into the finer points of beer, 
there's a podcast for you, and there probably are advertisers who will pay 
to reach you. Radio broadcasters should take notice.

There is no reason why my kitchen radio couldn't have both an Ethernet port 
and a WiMax chipset within a few years. Throw in a small LCD display and a 
nice interface, and you'd have a pretty tidy receiver that's truly plugged 
in to the world. I'd pay for it. I suspect I'm not the only one.