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From ZDNet's
"Berst Alert" column:
"This is it. We're headed into streaming media's big growth
spurt, and it's one you won't be able to ignore...
"Even more interesting,  the
people at Dataquest point out, is the diversity of the streaming
media offerings. Small companies are supplying niche audiences that
media moguls have been happy to ignore..."
"Streaming media gets better every month, and as soon as
next year it will join research and email as favorite online apps..."
Read Jesse Berst's full ZDNet column here.
|
 We'll
send you RAIN's e-mail news updates on a regular basis,
plus bulletins when important news breaks. (In addition, we'll
appreciate knowing that you're reading our efforts -- and
you'll hopefully appreciate reminders to read RAIN.)
You should be receiving
a confirmation e-mail from us shortly.
Thanks!
|
 Yesterday,
we asked RAIN readers, "What do you think are the most
important elements for a radio station's website?"
More from Kurt Hanson on this topic later today. (Read yesterday's
article by clicking the screenshot at right.)
Meanwhile, here are some of the responses we received yesterday
from RAIN readers.
Contribute your suggestions using the form that follows below.
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"Let
me tell you what's most important to our listeners..."
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Kurt:
I have been enjoying your daily newsletter as a cutting edge forecast
of what our industry is and will be as we create 36 month strategic
plans.
Let me tell you what's most important to our listeners at Erie's
Christian radio station, WCTL Life 106.3 (which,  by
the way, according to our ISP has many more hits on our page than
the top rock and CHR stations in town!). Since we are Contemporary
Christian, our visitors are totally interested in the music,
so the most hit pages are the Listen Live! launch page, and
the music link page.
I think it is crucial that niche format stations stream,
and I think the recent Arbitron Internet numbers bear that out (Christian
Pirate Radio, KLTY/Dallas, etc.). Christian visitors appreciate
the daily Scripture verse and the ability to ask us virtually anything
about, well, anything! We really become "Information Central!"
We still haven't figured out how to make a dime on the page, however
(and neither is anyone else in town.) I figure if big content-rich
Christian portals like Crosswalk.com
lose $2.5 mil a quarter, then why should I try? At least not yet...
--
Joel Natalie, GM, WCTL/Erie
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"One
of the biggest complaints/ requests..."
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A playlist
of your prime music, if you're a music station. Also a minute by
minute record of what you're playing and by whom. One of the biggest
complaints/requests is for more information about what's playing
right now!
--
John Sebastian, consultant
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"The
most important elements on a radio station website are..."
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Kurt: The
most important elements on a radio station website are:
1. Content that is timely so that viewers will return. Local
events, concert & artist info are generally of interest to listeners.
2. Streaming brings a good deal of traffic. People love to
listen at work.
3. Contests/promotions you can only enter on the site...anything
that will drive listeners from on-air to on-line.
4. Playlist: What was the name of the song I just heard on
my favorite radio station? Let me check it out on their site. Can
I buy the CD there?
That's all from me. Thanks for producing a fresh, informative newsletter!
--
Leslie Simboli, AdCast
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"Build
loyalty online and onair by awarding points..."
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Most important:
Build loyalty online and onair by awarding points to loyal
listeners. These points can be accumulated online by going to
the station web site and registering as a loyal listener (this web
feature is also heavily promoted on air). Folks who register get 1000
points that accumulate in a special, personal registry online. Points
can also be awarded for 1) adding content to the site (community info
on events, entering discussions, completing online surveys, etc),
2) identifying the song of the day onair and responding online, 3)
visiting web sites the station recommends (what a coincidence that
these sites are also onair sponsors, 4) getting a friend to register
online gets you 500 points. You can drive listener behavior and action
by awarding these points, all done online and using current technology.
No more mailings, no plastic cards- - no requirements for personnel
to gather and tabulate the date- - technnology does it for you.
Then what to do with these points? Redeem them online, on the
station web site in a store and auction area that accepts only your
station points. This keeps loyal listeners coming back to your site
(higher traffic = higher advertising?) to see what is on sale and
rewards them for being loyal listeners. What are the prizes/items?
Why, the same stuff that is being promoted onair! Tickets to a concert
(don't be the lucky caller, let the loyal listener use their points
to "buy" this item). Reward loyalty, not luck. Get your sponsors
to auction off items (a piece of furniture) to the highest auction
bidder using radio points. Good pub for the sponsor and the winner
has to go pick up the item (a lamp) and while there may buy another
item (a table to put the lamp on).
Bridge onair and online -- and reward those who really support your
station and your web site. It is hard to identify loyal listeners
over the radio -- it's easy to identify these folks online, and give
them reasons for coming back and keep listening -- while at their
computer counting their points.
--
RAIN reader (on
"deep background")
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"Output
the traffic log..."
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Show me: spots... Really, how often have you been in the car driving
in traffic and heard a commerical, but didn't know the web address
or street address... Call the station if you're lucky you might get
traffic...since the world is no longer pushing cards for slotted avails...output
the traffic log...to the website..
--
Lou Josephs
Coming soon...
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"What's
Playing" (and what played in the past few hours or days) |
| |
Streamed
webcast |
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Studio
webcam |
| |
Current
playlist -- including song hooks |
| |
Contest
entry forms (and rules) |
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"Instant
request" form |
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Chat
room (where listeners can talk with the on-air jock) |
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Station
advertiser links |
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Weather
forecast |
| |
Traffic
info |
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Concert
calendar |
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Local
events calendar |
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Station
promotions calendar |
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Music
research (a/k/a "Smash or Trash") |
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Listener
poll |
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E-commerce:
CDs, station logo merchandise, concert tickets |
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Loyal
listener program |
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Jock
photos, bios, favorite web links, and e-mail addresses |
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Bulletin
board ("Guest book"/"Soapbox:") for messages
to station |
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Program
schedule (especially weekends and short-form programs) |
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Archives
(on demand) of past weekend programs, interviews, etc. |
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Local
music (MP3s downloads, archived programs, etc.) |
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Free
screensaver of station logo |
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Studio
tour (360-degree IPIX view) |
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E-mail
newsletter (sign-up form) |
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Photo
album (station events, etc.) |
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Station
contact information (phone, fax, e-mail, address, map) |
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"How
to advertise on our station" |
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Games
(e.g., Java and/or Shockwave) (or trivia) |
| |
For
legendary stations: Station history (with photos and audio archives) |
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Jingles
(on-demand audio) |
| |
E-commerce
II: Classifieds (e.g., jobs, cars, personal ads) |
| |
Subchannels |
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Other
(Send e-mail to RAIN here) |
 |
| June
12-14 |
Streaming
Media East 2000, New York City |
| June
14-17 |
R&R
Convention 2000, Los Angeles |
| June
14-17 |
PROMAX
& BDA, New Orleans |
| July
13-16 |
Upper
Midwest Conclave, Minneapolis |
| August
3-5 |
Morning
Show Bootcamp, New Orelans |
| September
20-23 |
NAB
Radio Show, San Francisco |
| October
5-7 |
Billboard/Airplay
Monitor Seminar, New York |
| November
5-7 |
NAB
European Radio Conference, Berlin
|
| Nov.
28-Dec. 1 |
Radio
Ink Internet Conference, Santa Clara, CA |
New
and improved!
| xxx |
 |
|
Try it
out! Explore
the wide world of Internet audio by clicking the screenshot above.
Miss an issue?
Visit the RAIN News Archives here.
If you're hiring for a position that's radio- and Internet-related
this week, we'll post it -- free! Simply
e-mail the job description here.
If you're
looking for new opportunities that involve the Internet,
you can take a look at the first three available positions
here.
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