The cleaned-up, alphabetized, FINAL version of the list of entrants in the RAIN Viral Marketing Contest is here. (Make sure you're on the list if you should be.)

From Radio Business Report: "The House overwhelmingly approved legislation last night that would eliminate over 80% of low-power FM radio stations that would be able to take to the airwaves.

"Rep. Mike Oxley’s (R-OH) Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act, approved by a vote of 274 to 110, received heavy Republican support but fell short of the needed two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto. President Clinton has threatened to veto the bill if it reaches his desk...

"During the vote, Republican supporters of the bill accused the FCC of illegally lobbying Congress by faxing members papers explaining why the bill should be defeated. Federal law prohibits the FCC, an independent agency, from lobbying Congress. 'We are confident that FCC staff acted appropriately and within the bounds of the law,' said FCC spokesperson Linda Paris.

"The measure now goes on to the Senate where members have not acted on a similar bill." Read the full story in RBR here.



From Radio & Records Online: "Here's what Oxley's legislation will create if it is affirmed by the Senate and escapes a veto from President Clinton: The FCC will be required to test low-powered FM radio in nine radio markets. Such tests will further determine acceptable rates of interference caused by LPFM.

"Furthermore, it restricts LPFM licenses to government, nonprofit or educational groups. The Act also affirms the two new categories of noncommercial radio established by the FCC on Jan. 20, that of a 3.5-mile signal radius and of a 1- to 2-mile radius, respectively. It also reaffirms a ban on existing broadcasters from obtaining an LPFM license."

Read full coverage in R&R Online (subscription required) here.


More RAIN coming, live from Las Vegas, later today and/or this weekend. Please feel free to check back!


Reprinted from yesterday's edition:

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.



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.

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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.

You can easily click through previous issues of RAIN by using the blue arrows next to the issue date at the top of the page. (This navigation element has been added retroactively to all of March's issues.)