Technology360

Cable Wants to Cut the Cord

Michael Grebb writes:  "... At the annual meeting of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, or CTAM, the cable industry's top sales and marketing folks gathered in Philly this week to figure out new ways to get at your wallet.  ¶  And while the conference focused on many topics, including better customer service, VOIP, video on demand and improving cable-modem speeds, the big buzz was about mobility.  ¶  After all, customers now want to take their entertainment and communications with them everywhere they go. The last thing cable operators want is to be left out of that party. ..."  Link:  Wired.

XM, Still One Step Ahead of Sirius

Annys Shin writes: "... XM and Sirius are still betting that most of their customers will tune in when they're behind the wheel. The technology of satellite radio "is designed for vehicles," said Jim Collins, a Sirius spokesman who cites the same figures as analysts: There are 220 million cars on the road today and 16 million to 17 million new cars sold each year.  ¶  By now, most of the major automakers are committed to offering one service or both, but it will be at least five years before automobile sales will be the primary source of new subscriptions, Helfstein said. XM now draws half its subscribers from the auto market and half from the retail market, said spokesman David Butler. Sirius draws more of its subscribers from the retail side, Collins said. ..."  Link:  Washington Post.

Money Makes the World Go Round—Or Does It?

David Kirkpatrick writes:  "In the contribution economy, sharing information and ideas may enrich our lives in ways we can’t measure—yet. ¶  The economy is changing—and in ways that can't easily be measured by conventional economic indicators like wages, prices, or savings levels. Ever since the Internet started to connect everyone to everyone else all the time, people from around the world can more easily contribute energy, ideas, and knowledge to joint projects. Some of the more familiar examples of these collaborative efforts include blogs, open-source software, podcasts, and even the nonprofit online encyclopedia Wikipedia. ...¶... But if ordinary people can contribute ways to make products or services better, how do we measure their economic input? The economic value that economists have traditionally measured has been produced by businesses, which create products that are "consumed" by people or other businesses. The editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica commissioned an article, you paid for it, and then you read it. Many of us have achieved a lot of prosperity based upon that economic model. But in the contribution economy, companies can help people, people can help companies, and people can help other people without exchanging any money. ..."  Link:  Fortune.  Fascinating article.  --Dennis

Podcasting's Nonstar System

Greg Lindsay writes:  "... So now, how can [podcasters] make money? Well, once they cover their weekly hosting and production costs (three grand a year, tops, for a server, microphones, a laptop, and beer), the only thing they need to invest is their time. And for podcasters like the cohosts of Cinecast (podcasting's answer to Siskel & Ebert), who have 50,000 subscribers already, a living wage for each is just $2 per subscriber away. And the number of subscribers will only go up, right? ¶  But before they scramble to stick ads in their RSS feeds, they should hear the news: Podcasting is soooo over. That's the Washington Post's verdict, anyway, after noting how bits by the Queer Eye Fab Five, Al Franken, and Ted Koppel have already kicked podcasting's pioneers off the iTunes homepage (with the exception of feather-haired founding father Adam Curry). Things will only get worse once corporate radio arrives -- Clear Channel has made it clear that it considers podcasting merely radio by other means. ..."  Link:  Business 2.0.

Revolution on the Radio

Glenn Fleishman writes:  "... Satellite digital radio has captured the attention of consumers and investors with its billions spent and millions of paying subscribers. But a quiet digital revolution has hit the AM and FM dials as well: more than 450 stations in the United States now broadcast one or two digital channels alongside analog ones. At least 2,000 of the more than 12,000 stations in the country are committed to adding the format. ..."  Link:  New York Times.

The future of television lies on television, not the Net

Andrew Kantor writes:  "... CBS is simply doing what gadzillions of other Web sites already do: Offering content for people to choose from. Sure, some of CBS' content is professionally produced news, and the result is a very slick site. But in terms of changing things, this Big Deal is pretty much a whoop-dee-do.  ¶  The on-demand Internet is old hat. The future — thanks in large part to the Internet — is true on-demand television. ...¶... In fact, some phone companies have acquired cable TV licenses and are delivering "IPTV" — digital television carried over phone lines, using Internet technology. It's indistinguishable from cable or satellite, except that the line coming into your living room looks like a phone cord, not a TV cable.  ¶  And this is why CBS doesn't quite get it. The future isn't video on the Internet in a little window on your computer. The future is full-quality video over the Internet to your television. ..."  Link:  USA Today.

AudioFeast goes all-free

According to Tod Maffin, "AudioFeast is becoming a free podcasting service and will cease to operate as a paid subscription service effective this weekend. ..."  Link:  I Love Radio.

Terrestrial Radio Suffers Flat Quarter, Flat First Half

Terrestrial radio advertising dollars remained flat last quarter, raising questions about the overall health of the format. According to figures recently released by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), both local and national revenues stayed level for the latest three month period. That mirrors the performance from the first quarter, with overall 2005 revenues inching up just 1 percent over the first half of 2004. That data continues to ring alarm bells, with big threats continuing to come from portable MP3 players and premium satellite radio offerings.  ¶  The latest developments also come against major advertising increases in the online space. ...  Link:  Digital Music News.

Pew: Teens & technology, Tech term awareness

The Pew Internet & American Life Project is out with two reports:

• Teens and Technology:  Youth are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired and Mobile Nation ["...The number of teenagers using the internet has grown 24% in the past four years and 87% of those between the ages of 12 and 17 are online. Compared to four years ago, teens’ use of the internet has intensified and broadened as they log on more often and do more things when they are online. ..."].  Here's Pew's press release with useful exerpts.
• Public Awareness of Internet Terms ["... In a nationwide phone survey between May 4 and June 7, the ... Project asked internet users if they knew what certain internet terms meant. The results showed that some terms were well known, but that the terms "podcasting" and "RSS feeds" were not familiar to a majority of internet users ...]

--Dennis

My AOL Debuts with RSS Feature

Nino Marchetti writes: "AOL puts personalized home page service into beta as it teams with RSS provider Feedster to provide RSS content for subscribers.  ¶  In conjunction with the launch of the public beta of their “My AOL” personalized home page, America Online yesterday said they were teaming with RSS feed provider Feedster to provide RSS feeds as a feature for those using the new personalized page service.  ¶  The AOL/Feedster deal, the two companies said, will allow My AOL subscribers to search and subscribe to RSS feeds that relate to their interests. These feeds will provide up to the minute news, views and information from a variety of personal and professional blogs and resources in an organized format. ..." Link: Designtechnica