RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter

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BY KURT HANSON
Although I'm somewhat overwhelmed at the moment, the one thing I've managed to absorb so far here at the NAB's Spring show in Las Vegas is that "convergence" isn't just some fancy

meaningless buzzword.

This is an amazing show, with literally hundreds of new exhibitors who've never been to an NAB before.

And I was surprised to learn that the issues I've been writing about in RAIN that are of interest to the radio industry are exactly the same ones that are of concern to the TV side as well.

What's going on, of course, is that the Internet offers a new transmission mechanism to get audio and video content to consumers that can run in parallel to broadcasters' over-the-air signals.

This means that the typical consumer will be able to get Channel 5 or Mix 96 either (A) through an antenna, or (B) via their computer, or (C) indiectly via another device (e.g., a cell phone or PDA or some kind of Internet applicance). Of course, at the same time, this means that other providers can also compete by offering similar programming even if they don't have a broadcast license. But it also puts radio stations and newspapers and TV stations on a far more equal footing in situations (B) and (C).

So newspaper sites can offer their own customized radio stations, and radio stations can add visuals to their content, and CD stores can have their own radio stations, and radio stations can sell CD's, and consumers can pick the ads they want to hear, and advertisers can pick the consumers they want to reach...

In other words, inside the computer monitor that you're reading RAIN on right now, everything is converging.

However, I'm still in information processing mode. I'll try to have this sorted out so I can write more next week in RAIN.

Well-known CHR and A/C consultant Alan Burns will announce tomorrow that he's launched a new website

htat is targeting consumers in an effort to introduce new music to "early adopter"-type consumers.

The site, called "PickTheHits.com," attracts Internet users with the promise that they can hear new music first and the possibility of winning large cash prizes. In

beta mode, the site has already given away two $5,000 prizes, according to Burns.

"We are the first website to focus on new songs," said Burns in his press release on the site. "Other sites allow users to hear hooks, and there are many general-interest music sites, but no one else is on the Internet with the express purpose of exposing people to new songs... One of our goals is to be the first website to ever break a hit record."

Burns's partners and advisors include "a number of groups in and around Washington's 'Silicon Valley East' corridor, including PriorityVentures and Mercury Partners" and business book author Andrew Sherman.

In an interview with the website Suite101.com, Burns elaborated, "I started it...and a couple of people in my company have helped -- Jeff Johnson, Donna Burns, and Sasha Noble. Our board of advisors includes Bruce Tennenbaum, who formerly ran DreamWorks Records, and David Leach, the former GM of Mercury Records. We've had great reaction: six major labels signed up on the spot to expose their songs and artists in Pick the Hits. Jive and Universal are two that I'm sure wouldn't mind me mentioning."

The venture hopes to also be a content provider to radio station websites. "When stations 'frame' Pick the Hits inside their own site, they can drive added traffic to their own sites, improve their music image, and have a great, free promotion on the air," the press release notes.

Visit the site by clicking here. Read the full Suite101.com interview here. And/or contact the company at (703) 390-9090.

From Webnoize: "Sonicbox.com, a developer of Internet radio hardware and software, has announced availability of its first product, the iM Software Tuner. The tuner offers

access to hundreds of worldwide stations in 25 genres, a customizable band for favorite stations, local playlists and customized stations.

"The tuner supports Microsoft Windows Media, Real Audio and MP3 formats. Sonicbox plans to release its standalone tuner, the iM Remote Tuner, later this spring."

Visit Webnoize here (subscription required) and or the Sonicbox site here.

From Radio Business Report: "A word to the wise: The contract for Clear Channel's (N:CCU) $1.6M buy of WHIR-FM Danville-Lexington, KY contains a paragraph that all buyers would be well advised to include. Under the description of the assets to be conveyed, this

particular paragraph reads: 'Internet Websites. All Internet Domain leases and Domain names of the station, the unrestricted right to the use of HTML content located and publicly accessible from those Domain names, and the "visitor" email database for those sites.'

"Those Internet assets have value, so it would be a good idea to spell out their inclusion when contracts are written." Read more of RBR here.

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Did you enter the "RAIN Viral

Marketing Contest" drawing for that fantastic prize package that includes the Sony VAIO Music Clip, the wireless Internet-ready Nextel cell phone, and the Kerbango radio? If so, click here (and/or the list immediately below) to make sure we've got your name in the hat for the upcoming drawing.

Final 12 entrants	Boghosian, T.	Harvey, P.	Robbins, J.
	Bud (RadioQ)	Hennessy, R.	Sampson, R.
	Doll, G.	Johnston, A.	Schureck, J.
	Farnell, R.	Judge, T.	Simboli, L.

More coming soon! Contribute your suggestions here. (Suggestions already in the hopper include CableMusic.com, RadioWoodstock.com, Nerve Radio, Radio Gogaga, and HotCountryHits.)