Operating in the public interest for the local area

[Alan Tolz]

> On another subject concerning radio's competition, how will the Wi-Wi 
> startups work technically and of course I'll bet that at the beginning at 
> least they won't pay copyright fees although they are required to. 
> http://www.soundexchange.com/

Internet Radio is pretty far beyond the startup phase, although the RIAA, 
and their collection arm, Soundexchange, are trying to kill the baby in the 
crib. And the stations ARE paying, eventhough they are also fighting the 
ridiculous fee structure and rationale for same.     If the state of the 
American auto industry is any indicator, it will be at least a decade before 
there's a critical mass of wi-fi enabled cars to threaten radio's use there, 
though from my personal experience, I no longer use an AM/FM tuner on my 
main home system...I run a computer through the amp and tune in to "radio" 
online.  Sadly, ARB can't really get a handle on how to treat this from a 
ratings perspective - diary or PPM - especially if stations choose to 
simulcast rather than try to monetize their internet streams separately.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert S Chase" <attychase@comcast.net>
To: <boston-radio-interest@tsornin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 9:50 AM
Subject: Operating in the public interest for the local area


> The flip side of the fairness doctrine (policy consideration in the 
> communications acts) was that the radio and television stations would 
> operate in the public interest and the local stations would originate and 
> provide local service. The intention was that local matters would have an 
> outlet. When the locally owned cable companies came in and undercut the 
> broadcast monopoly, the local authorizing boards were able to force them 
> to follow a similar policy. For a while it made sense for the cable 
> companies. Now with cable dropping in its spots with technology allowing 
> them to target their market from miles away from the head end, they no 
> longer need local origination. What's killing local radio as a business 
> model is the bigger bang the same ad can get on the cable. On the other 
> hand, my wife always reads the newspaper for their supermarket inserts and 
> junk ad inserts.
>
> On another subject concerning radio's competition, how will the Wi-Wi 
> startups work technically and of course I'll bet that at the beginning at 
> least they won't pay copyright fees although they are required to. 
> http://www.soundexchange.com/
>
>
>> Message: 5
>> Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 11:02:26 -0500
>> From: "Jim Hall" <aerie.ma@comcast.net>
>
>> Lowell Cable TV used to have their own studio and evening local news 
>> also.
>> Steve Cooper of Channel 7 and Julie Seitter formerly of WBZ Radio used to 
>> be
>> the anchors.
>>
>> -When AT&T took over they cut local to the bone and then Comcast
>> -scrapped what was left. Cambridge for example had a full blown studio
>> -on Sherman St that C-Span used often and a high quality remote truck.
>
>
>