Radio and Internet Newsletter is a daily compilation of news (plus essays, commentary, and resources) designed to help you better understand the Internet and its potential impact on radio -- both the dangers it presents and the opportunities it offers. We hope you find it valuable.
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From Radio & Records Online: "The 30-year programming veteran has joined upstart Internet radio channel aggregator SoundsBig.com. Her official title is VP/Broadcast Programming, and she will be in charge of coordinating the content of the company’s approximately 50 channels of music programming. She previously served as VP/Broadcast Programming for the Associated Press..."

Click here for the full story in R&R Online (subscription required).



Arbitron's vice president and general manager of Internet Information Services, Greg Verdino, has left to join an Internet venture that formally launches early next year. According to Radio Ink: "Today was his first day on the job at Network 24 a streaming media company. Network24 provide software and services to commercial Websites that allow those Websites to transform their model from straight HTML pictures to full-fledged online broadcasting networks..."

Click here for Radio Ink's interview with Verdino. ("It¹s entirely different. It¹s a world apart from Arbitron in terms of the type of company it is and where the company is in its evolution...")



"The Gavin Report's senior editors Keith and Kent Zimmerman, who built its Triple A and Jazz/Smooth Jazz departments, are leaving Gavin to found "a new Internet entity that will deal with music, radio, and business-to-business applications," the Gavin website reported Monday.

"According to the Zimmermen, the company is prepared to close its first round of funding, after which a full staff will be hired....Specific details about the company will be announced early in the year 2000."

Click here for the full story from Gavin.



"BuyMedia.com, the service that lets media buyers purchase premium TV and radio advertising over the Internet, today announced the hire of Clifford P. McKinney, III to head their new Station Relations Division. With 12 years of sales leadership and experience at Katz Media Group, McKinney will lead BuyMedia.com's newly formed Station Relations Division as vice president of station relations..."

Click here to read BuyMedia.com's press release on the Radio Ink website.



Check back with RAIN later today for news on additional resignations.



From R&R Online: "With Sonicbox...users can listen to web radio stations on ordinary FM receivers. The San Jose-based startup is making the hardware and software available for third-party software and consumer electronics manufacturers..." Click here for R&R Online.

From CNET News: "The company wants to offer Internet music on standalone radios, too, but unlike Kerbango, Sonicbox will stay connected to the PC. Sonicbox will offer a device that attaches to PCs with high-speed Internet cable modem or DSL connections. The base-unit tuner, which is attached to a PC, sends data to a remote tuner that then transmits a signal for playback on the nearest regular FM radio..." Click here for the full October 13th story on Internet radio devices (primarily about Kerbango) in CNET News.

From the Sonicbox website: "Sonicbox is changing the face of radio. Sonicbox imBand™ Tuning makes listening to Internet radio as easy as tuning your FM dial. With a Sonicbox imBand™ Tuner, listeners can turn the knob and tune into a wide range of Web radio stations from around the world. Also freed from their PCs, listeners can use a Sonicbox Tuner to enjoy Internet radio throughout their home..." Click logo above to go to their website to read more.



"EMusic.com announced that it will support a new music download service available though AOL's Spinner.com called 'Playlist-To-Go.'

"Through Spinner's service, users will be able to discover and access free promotional MP3 tracks from EMusic.com's downloadable music catalog..." Click here for Gavin's take on the story.



From the 12/3/99 issue of USA Today: "Growth of new Web users slows. Low-cost devices will boost usage, experts counter." According to the article, "A controversial study says the growth of the nation's online audience has slowed dramatically, a finding that could rock Internet retailers by forcing them to pump even more money into marketing..." Click here to read the full story.



From PRNewswire: "CDNOW, a leading online music destination, announced a record-breaking number of one million visits to the CDNOW site (http://cdnow.com) on Thursday, December 2, 1999, and from December 2, 1999 through December 6, 1999, CDNOW averaged approximately 930,000 visits per day.

"CDNOW has evolved into a robust music destination, helping visitors from all over the world connect to music. CDNOW recently announced the addition of thousands of secure music downloads for sale, becoming the only place on the Internet to offer the full range of music experiences..."

Click here to do a search for today's CDNow press release.



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