BY PAUL MALONEY
Broadcast-radio streaming provider StreamAudio has announced a new $395 per month plan which offers clients unlimited listener streams, ad-insertion capabilities, a 'Now Playing' feature, and 24/7-tech support.

CEO/Cofounder Bob Case, in a press release, said "This new pricing will allow us to continue to offer best-of-breed service and technology at a very reasonable rate to radio stations worldwide. Using our included ad-insertion software, stations are poised to double their over-the-air inventory and create new revenue."

In RAIN's story and interview with StreamAudio CEO Bob Case last November (here), he had stressed that the company was dedicated to keeping the streaming free, with costs more than offset by advertising dollars from the gateway ad and the 70/30 split from "inserted" ads. Now it appears that StreamAudio has realized (as have others who've tried it) that the free streaming model isn't viable.

...

... Given the developments of the recent past with other streaming providers like OnRadio, Magnitude Network, GlobalMedia, and now BroadcastAMERICA...might it stand to reason that stations are probably better off spending 400 bucks a month to guarantee their streams and get good tech support -- as opposed to accepting free deals and just hoping for the best? ...

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Several of the radio industry's most-successful executives have come together in an investment group to back a core group of managers of Strategic Media Research in an offer to purchase the company, the company announced today.

The investor group is tentatively set to include former AMFM CEO Jimmy de Castro (pictured), former ABC Radio Networks and AMFM Radio Networks head David Kantor, Radio One CEO Alfred Liggins, record promotion executive Jeff McClusky, radio entrepreneur Jeff Trumper, and, representing Canada's largest privately-owned radio broadcaster, Standard Radio's Gary Slaight.

The management buyout offer is being led by long-time Sr. VP Amy Vokes (pictured middle row, second from left), a 13-year veteran of the firm. The company was founded in 1980 by University of Chicago M.B.A. Kurt Hanson.

The investor group represents one of the most impressive groups of radio industry executives that has ever come together in support of a single venture, Vokes noted.

Although Hanson, as one of the firm's former shareholders, is not participating as an owner in the management buyout, he has committed his involvement 'for as long as it takes to get Strategic's leadership position and growth rate firmly established again,' Hanson said.

Vokes said the management group would submit their offer Tuesday morning, with the expectation that their offer will be accepted and the deal closed by the end of this month, subject to whatever constraints may imposed by the purchase mechanism.

SMR Senior VP Amy Vokes, who is leading the management buyout of the firm. "This group of investors, all of whom will also serve on the company's Board of Directors, is a real 'Dream Team.'"

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Reprinted from yesterday's late afternoon edition...

In RAIN this morning, we reported (here) that troubled radio streaming provider BroadcastAMERICA planned to auction the bankrupt company as a whole -- and that their merger deal with SurferNETWORK was apparently off.

Now, AllAccess is reporting that a US bankruptcy court is making BroadcastAMERICA.com hand over copies of their radio contracts to BA Funding, a subsidiary of SurferNETWORK.COM.

It was originally announced that SurferNETWORK had made a $1 million investment in BroadcastAMERICA. That amount is now being called a loan, and BA Funding sought the copies of the over 400 client contracts as collateral.

BroadcastAMERICA.com is still reportedly seeking a buyer. The next scheduled court date January 19th.

The AllAccess story is here (look in Net News, registration required).

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Internet radio ratings company MeasureCast has released their first monthly "Top 25" rankings report. The latest results are available here, or anytime by clicking the link in the left-hand menu under "Metrics."

February 1-4, 2001	RAB 2001, Dallas, TX
February 26-28, 2001	Broadcasters Website Sales Conf. 2.0, Tempe, AZ