Technology360

House rejects supports Senate move to extend analog shutdown

The U.S. House of Representatives did not come up with enough votes (two-thirds required) to go along with the Senate's unanimous vote to delay the DTV transition to June 12 from February 17.  Kim Hart has the story in the Washington Post. 

Update 5 February 2009:
Oops, the House has now reversed course and passed the delay measure.  Link: NPR.   --Dennis

Senate votes delay of DTV implementation

The local channel here in Washington, DC is reporting that the U.S. Senate has voted (with support from the Obama administration) to delay the implementation of the television analog shutdown from February 17 to June 12.  It now goes to the House.  I was on a conference call with several public television CEOs this afternoon, and a number of them reported they would keep their analog lit until June if this extension passes.

Update 27 January 2009:
Here's the AP story at NPR.org.  --Dennis

Take "2a" on the iPhone Public Radio Tuner

I recently posted on the availability of the iPhone Public Radio Tuner in the iTunes Apps Store and also posted comments on the app by WTMD GM Steve Yasko.  Rekha Murthy of PRX.org has written a response to Steve, which I post below with permission:

Thanks to Steve for such insightful comments on the Public Radio Tuner. I'm a member of the PRX team working with the Tuner collaborators.

CPB funded this collaboration as an experiment in sharing resources, knowledge, and harnessing a beneficial network effect for each station and the public radio system as a whole. Communication is an important part of this. Our only preset ideas about the Tuner is that we want to bring public radio to mobile media listeners while promoting station's unique identities. So your input will truly help shape future releases of the Tuner (next one scheduled for May 2009), as well as how we guide stations on submitting their streams and information.

The Tuner is not meant to supplant individual stations' -- nor the networks' -- mobile efforts. It will support them. We'll be sharing code and other materials so public broadcasting entities can make their own versions of the app as well. That said, judging from the enthusiasm of the Tuner's users -- nearly all reviews are 4 or 5 stars since the January release! -- there is a lot to be said for giving people one portal-style app with which to explore the system. As a former mobile user researcher, the top request of all I interviewed was 'give me one place to get everything.'  As of Friday, Public Radio Tuner has had 133, 213 downloads - that's more than 30,000 a week.

Does an individual station get lost in this? Not necessarily. The Tuner retains the last station listened to, so it's only one tap - the launch of the app - to get to a station. The Favorites and Nearby functions also get people to stations quickly. If we hear that stations want more visibility beyond the branded station pages, there are ways to work that in -- for example, by putting logos in the directory list, or letting people set a "home" station that opens automatically when the app is launched. We can be creative in striking a balance between familiarity (show the stations I know and love) and discoverability (give me something new). Maybe we let people shake the iPhone and land on a random station (see the Urban Spoon app for an example). The next release will have a 'What's On Now' program guide. If your station is airing what someone wants to hear at that moment, you might get a new listener.

Other plans for the next release include on-demand content (kind of like podcasts) for station and network programs. We're also exploring the possibility of some sort of call to donate to individual stations.

No one knows yet if individual station apps can bring more listeners than one consolidated app, or if that's the goal (Steve? Others?). That's another reason the collaborators embarked on this experiment. There has been talk of creating a template for a single-station app, but that of course depends on available resources and level of interest.

Public radio, as we all know, is a loose confederation. Standards generally don't emerge on their own. This expresses in the app in differing stream formats, connection times, and even searchable metadata. The Tuner uses what the stations provide. Searching by format will usually get you results... but you won't get every possible result because the metadata isn't there. The Tuner is a great exercise for revealing these needs. We can then communicate back to stations on how to address them for an optimal mobile experience.

Again, we encourage everyone to contribute ideas so we can set this Tuner apart from the other iPhone radio tuners. The content already does that. But so can public-radio-specific features... as can the message that there's a huge and engaged public radio community working to make the app better with each new release. We're scanning blogs and mailing lists as best we can, but the surest way to get your ideas heard is to post them at PublicRadioTuner.com. Here's the link for general feedback and discussion: http://www.publicradiotuner.com/?page_id=165;And watch the blog there for updates.

Best,
Rekha Murthy
Public Radio Exchange (PRX)

--Dennis

Take 2 on the iPhone Public Radio Tuner

This morning, I posted an email from NPR to its member stations announcing that the iPhone Public Radio Tuner had made it to the iPhone apps store.  That email to a member station list prompted a thoughtful response from Steve Yasko, GM of WTMD in Towson, Maryland.  I'm posting this response with Steve's permission:

"This is a wonderful application, but there are several items that make it less than the perfect first choice for stations, particularly music stations.  I’ve had the public radio tuner on my iPhone for several weeks, and have transitioned from version 1 to 1.1.  I’ve done my own sort of “quality testing” and here is what I’ve found.

1.        The sound quality between 1 and 1.1 is vastly improved.  There were a lot of streams that sounded so bad in 1 it was kind of embarrassing to call it “public radio quality”.  Even through noise cancelling earphones, several us sounded ..well…yuckie.

2.       The connection times for some stations has not been improved. This is most likely a station issue and I urge you all to make sure your streams are working correctly with this tuner.  I can tell you since I have started writing this email 2 of 5 stations clicked on have failed to connect.  Many stations have load times that are unacceptable to the average iPhone user.

3.       [snip]  Users cannot search by “format.”  The search function is based on the line of text on the front screen of tuner.  For example, searching for AAA music yields no stations and WUSF in Tampa doesn’t show up when the user searches for “classical.”  There are dozens of others.  I urge you to change your front screen description of your station to include a word that users will commonly search by.

4.       The most important feature for music listeners is still missing.  Music listeners want title and artist information.  Without it, this app  is inferior to those that do.  Music listeners have cited this feature over and over again in research [snip] as their most important  desire.  A new version of the public radio tuner should not be released without it.  Clear Channel streams artist and title information in their directory app—and check out their “shake it” feature where a shake of your iPhone randomly chooses a city and format!  We should have this in public radio tuner  so that all stations have the opportunity to be heard by all users.

The larger question of course, is whether or not being part of directory iPhone application is beneficial to a station.  I don’t believe it is…for the most part.  Here’s why.  Having your own app gives your station front screen branding in users iPhones.  Their favorite radio station is before their eyes every time they look at their phone.  You stand apart from other directory apps and most likely will  limit the number of stations a user actually “thinks” about using or “actually” uses. 

Second, it provides one touch launching of your station.  It just took me 5 taps (iPhone jargon is so cute isn’t it?) in the Tuner to get to WTMD after launching the app.  Our stand alone app is one tap and you’re on.  Think of it this way…you own app’s icon is a car radio preset.  One touch and you’re there!  It’s also safer when driving.  We’ve all worried about the day when in care internet listening will start.  Here in Baltimore, the debut of Wimax has been greeted by so so reviews and service.  But all I can tell you is I drove from NYC to the end of the NJ turnpike listening to WTMD on my iPhone and it only cut out twice and never disconnected fully.  I had it plugged into my car stereo through a cassette adaptor, Mario’s car has an auxiliary plug for the same purpose. 

If Verizon, not ATT had gotten the iPhone agreement with Apple, it would already be a different world.  By choosing a carrier with a smaller  share of the 3G network market, we have a little more time get better at something most of us are not good at….Branding Our Stations.

If you want your station right in front of your iPhone users eyes there are many ways to get the job done.  WTMD and KUT used Jacobs Media to create our apps $1,000 and 10 working days and we [were] in the app store on iTunes.  I suggest all stations pursue both the Tuner and their own branded app.  Best to cover all the bases in the new media world."

Thanks for allowing me to post this, Steve.  By the way, as Steve describes above on his trip to NYC,  I've used Sprint's non-WiMax 3G service with a wireless PC card to listen on extended trips with good success and also listen to Northwest Public Radio's stream on my Nokia N95 while bicycling around Washington, DC on many weekend days.  --Dennis

Check out the iPhone Public Radio Tuner

 A collaboration of major players in public radio (Public Radio Exchange, American Public Radio, NPR and NPR's Public Interactive unit, and Public Radio International) have announced that version 1.1 of the Public Radio Tuner for iPhones has made it into the iPhone App Store.  Since its initial launch, tens of thousands of people have downloaded it and over 200 stations have added their streams.

The following is exerpted from an email sent yesterday to NPR member stations:

Not just any application, a *public radio* application

The Public Radio Tuner essentially allows anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch to listen to streams from stations across the country. It has the features iPhone users expect from any "tuner" application – search, a favorites list, and fast loading times. What sets this Tuner apart is how the collaborators' experience and their direct relationships with stations can create a listening experience custom-made for public radio's high-quality, diverse content. What does this mean for the listener?

·         The ability to search by call letters, frequency, city, region, or format

·         The ability to click once to see all stations near the current location

·         An ever-expanding menu of content with more streams added all the time

Future plans will make the Tuner even more of an on-demand listening tool, with features such as a "What's On Now" list of programs, searchable program audio, and more.

Not already part of the Public Radio Tuner? Sign up!

People already using the app are asking for their local stations' streams. (If you have iTunes, check out the reviews here.) It's not too late to submit your stream for inclusion in the Tuner.

See if your station is in the Public Radio Tuner app»

The Tuner’s station support services (where you submit and maintain your stream information) are in the process of moving from American Public Media over to Public Interactive. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, visit the Public Radio Tuner page on www.apmstations.org if you have stream-related questions (you can create a login if you don't have one already). Please visit the project Web site at www.publicradiotuner.com to stay up to date on the project and contribute your ideas for future versions of the app.

A new collaboration for a new media platform

The January Tuner update came out of a unique collaboration between American Public Media (APM), National Public Radio (NPR), Public Interactive (PI), Public Radio Exchange (PRX), and Public Radio International (PRI). The project is led by PRX and supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. APM, which created the original Tuner, provided the code to the collaboration's technology team so that new features could be added quickly and the existing user base could be maintained. This latest update is the first of several updates funded by the CPB grant. More releases will take place throughout the spring of 2009.

CPB and the collaborators see this project as a way to encourage communication and knowledge sharing in order to harness the collective expertise, talents, and resources of the public radio system. We believe the Public Radio Tuner is an important way to keep pace with our technologically evolving listener base and bring public radio to a whole new set of people, as is the NPR Mobile partnership (https://www.nprstations.org/online/mobilelaunch/index.cfm ). Simply put, our listeners want us wherever they go. A recent study tells us that they have the mobile tools to find us – we just have to be there when they look. 

Tell everyone about it

PRX will post promotional materials and ideas to www.publicradiotuner.com; in the meantime, you can get them from the APM stations site.

I'm sticking to my wonderful Nokia N95, so I've asked my son, who is an iPhone user, to write a review of it which I'll post here.  Trust me, if anyone can speak truth to Dad, it's one of my kids.  --Dennis

Moving toward a group blog | Welcome David Liroff

 For the past 15 months, my blogging efforts have slowed -- although thanks to the magic of Google's search  algorithm, it's somehow managed to gain 100 RSS and email subscribers in that time according to FeedBurner.  However, it really needs some more content.  While I think I can now devote some more time to it, I've long thought that turning this into a group blog would not only add to its content but add some diverse perspectives as well.  It's taken me a long time to implement even that, but I have my first collaborator.

I'm delighted to welcome my good friend, David Liroff, as the first guest author to Technology360.  If you're a public broadcaster, David needs no introduction.  If you're not, he was most recently Senior Vice President, System Development and Media Strategy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  Prior to that, he wasVice President and Chief Technology Officer, WGBH Educational Foundation.  He's a frequent speaker at meetings within the public broadcasting community and allied organizations.  His provocative and engaging presentations are an important foundation for understanding public broadcasting's transition to multi-platform digital distribution.  He has kindly given permission to post several recent positions which you can access by clicking his name above.

David has carte blanche to post anything he wants as often as he wants.  I know they will be thoughtful and hope they will be frequent.  --Dennis

The DTV delay and Big Yellow Taxi

 Matthew Lasar has more on the proposed (by incoming Obama administration) delay in the February 17th shutoff of analog television broadcasting, asking if it's too late to turn back for logistical reasons.  Links:  Ars Technica plus another on Consumers Union also asking for the delay here.  That may be the case.

The DTV transition has been in the works for a very long time, however until four months ago, no one predicted that it would coincide with a general financial crisis that has brought a number of broadcast advertising staples -- financials, automotive and retail -- to depression levels.  It's also demonstrable that broadcast stations are more economically reliant on their over-the-air households than their cable and DBS households, magnifying whatever loss they will get in overall households by perhaps double in economic terms.

So, the coupon program is out of money.  Congress should calculate whether it's cheaper to replenish that fund or wait for the television broadcasters to join the growing list of industries looking for a bail-out.

But it's not clear that consumers will be significantly more ready for digital several months hence with more coupons.  These lines from Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" come to mind:

...Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
'Til it's gone...

--Dennis

Consumers crave individualism and personalization

Allison Muller, CRM manager for Accenture, has some interesting observations on how new technologies are making it easier for retailers to individualize and personalize for consumers.  She writes:

... Phenomenon like YouTube and MySpace give young consumers a stage for voicing their opinions and showing off their social lives and it's influencing how they shop. Some companies are reacting by offering customers avenues for personal expression, like personalizing a Heinz Ketchup bottle or Kleenex box with personal slogans and pictures.  ¶  More sustainable ideas include MyTwinn.com that produces dolls that are exact replicas of real girls, allowing them to celebrate their identity through their toys. And, for an extra charge, you can get specific freckles or birthmarks painted on the dolls. ...

Link: Accenture.  --Dennis

Obama asks Congress to delay digital TV switch

Jim Puzzanghera and Christi Parsons write:

... In a letter to Congressional leaders, John Podesta, co-chairman of Obama's presidential transition team, urged that the Feb. 17 conversion date be extended. A major reason was the announcement this week by the Commerce Department that it had run out of money for a government program to provide $40 coupons for low-cost converter boxes to allow older TVs to receive the new digital signal. ...

Link:  Los Angeles Times.

Update 9 January 2009:
Also see Kim Hart's article in the Washington Post. 

Update 11 January 2009:
FCC's Kevin Martin says delay could cause confusion.  Associated Press via NPR.  --Dennis

Mix your own public radio podcasts

The elves in NPR's digital media division came up with a great holiday treat for listeners who want public radio on their schedule.  If you go to the NPR podcast directory, you can now make yourself customized podcasts for your iPod or other device from tons of NPR and station programs.

Etan Horowitz of the Orlando Sentinel gives a how to tutorial and Saul Hansell writes a longer article on it talking about implications in the New York Times, Seeing the Future in NPR's Custom News Podcast.  --Dennis