NPR to FCC: TV spectrum auctions affect radio too
An interesting filing from NPR to the Federal Communications Commission concerning the impending wave of incentive auctions planned to “reassign” television broadcaster spectrum, ultimately for wireless broadband use. NPR reminds the Commission that a lot of the television towers that broadcast video signals stream radio as well, and public broadcasters could be affected by this […]
Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame Luncheon Honors 2013 Inductees
On Saturday, November 2, I attended the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame’s 2013 Induction Luncheon. Although the latest inductees were announced several months ago at Radio Day by the Bay, Saturday’s event was a chance to celebrate the 10 individuals and the one station (KSFO as “legendary station”) joining the Hall of Fame. Held […]
Public interest advocate Gigi Sohn named to FCC Chairman Wheeler’s staff
New FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced his staff appointments today, and there is potentially good news for public interest advocates and supporters of innovative radio in his appointment of Public Knowledge president Gigi Sohn as Special Counsel for External Affairs. Sohn co-founded Public Knowledge in 2001, and under her leadership the group has been a […]
Syrian free radio station raided & shut down by al Qaeda group
Unfortunately, the risk associated with unlicensed, independent and clandestine broadcasting in Syria is very present and real. Furthermore, the repressive Assad government is not the only threat. According to David Kenner at Foreign Policy a reporter working for the citizen journalism organization ANA New Media Association, Rami al Razzouk, was kidnapped by members of the […]
Plug.dj: from rooms to “communities”
Plug.dj is rolling out a new design this Saturday. What interests me most about the remake is that the online deejay service is dubbing its rooms “communities”: “The first thing you’ll notice is the lobby has been redesigned and is now called ‘Communities’. We decided to change the name to reflect how much we value […]
Talking Heads: debating the Spotify “rental” market
I am reading Paul Riismandel’s summary of Day One of the Future of Music Summit. It appears that all digital music policy discussion roads lead to Spotify. “It seemed like every [FOMS] conversation that dealt even a little bit with royalty payments and artist income always veered back to Spotify,” Paul notes. “On this there […]
Pandora while driving? Safety may depend on your listening gear
In my third installment of my Internet radio in my car diary, I admit that I have tuned in to Pandora in my Honda Civic while driving on the freeway. You probably think this isn’t much of a confession. But I found the experience distracting enough to wonder whether I should make it a habit. […]
Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon and KRE Events Tomorrow
San Francisco Bay Area radio fanatics will be in 7th heaven tomorrow, when a bunch of California Historical Radio Society (CHRS) events are taking place. The morning starts with a vintage radio swap meet in Berkeley at the historic KRE building beginning at 9am. Then, from 11:30am to 3:00pm the Bay Area Radio Hall of […]
75th Anniversary of “War of the Worlds” Broadcast Marked by Festivities
On Wednesday, radio fans all over the globe celebrated the 75th anniversary of the famed “War of the Worlds” broadcast, a radio drama directed and narrated by Orson Welles that presented a chilling H.G. Wells story about a Martian invasion. At the same time, there are questions as to whether or not listeners were actually […]
Podcasters gotta eat; Tom Scharpling to end The Best Show on WFMU
Tom Scharpling announced on his program Tuesday that he is ending The Best Show on WFMU, broadcasting its final episode on December 17. Over the course of 13 years The Best Show has grown for itself a sizable and loyal nationwide audience that enjoys the host’s unique mix of on-air rants, real listener calls and […]