Comments on: Screwed? http://www.digitalradioltd.com/screwed/ News from the Cutting Edge of Irish DAB Radio Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:30:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sean http://www.digitalradioltd.com/screwed/#comment-48 Sean Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:16:47 +0000 http://www.digitalradioltd.com/?p=304#comment-48 It's sad but true. Radio does seem to still cling onto a conservative notion. But is it the only form of media that tries not to be something else? Newspapers are trying to be e-books, tv is trying to be on-demand but Radio seems to be accepted en-masse as plain old radio. Maybe pushing Radio to evolve into a new beast, is what is stopping it from evolving naturally. While organic evolution has happened in the digitising of radio with Podcasts, a lot of 'Digital-only' content from already established listeners will alienate the old-reliable listenership. The problem on the whole is content. The BAI should be offering a wealth of solely digital licenses to start flooding the digital spectrum with irresistible content. Fully utilising the full digital spectrum, that we keep hearing about. While at the same time trying to reduce the number of analogue licenses, eventually "see-saw"-ing to a digital transition. Probably not as easy as that but just what I think- It’s sad but true. Radio does seem to still cling onto a conservative notion. But is it the only form of media that tries not to be something else? Newspapers are trying to be e-books, tv is trying to be on-demand but Radio seems to be accepted en-masse as plain old radio.

Maybe pushing Radio to evolve into a new beast, is what is stopping it from evolving naturally. While organic evolution has happened in the digitising of radio with Podcasts, a lot of ‘Digital-only’ content from already established listeners will alienate the old-reliable listenership.

The problem on the whole is content. The BAI should be offering a wealth of solely digital licenses to start flooding the digital spectrum with irresistible content. Fully utilising the full digital spectrum, that we keep hearing about. While at the same time trying to reduce the number of analogue licenses, eventually “see-saw”-ing to a digital transition.

Probably not as easy as that but just what I think-

]]> By: James http://www.digitalradioltd.com/screwed/#comment-47 James Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:40:02 +0000 http://www.digitalradioltd.com/?p=304#comment-47 I'll have a craic at cheering you up a little shall I? It is true that the "industrial media machine" of the past five decades is starting to grind to a halt. I bought Seth Godin's 'Purple Cow' book over Christmas and, in it, he tells us that it used to be you could create a mediocre product, add media spend and voila - you had a money making machine. It was a home run. You couldn't really go wrong as long as you had the moula to build a breakfast cereal factory. Now we are in the age of personalisation. I don't have to sit around and listen to the same thing the 380,028 other people in my demographic listen to. I have choice. My media choice is now tailored to exactly what I'm interested in. My media is more interesting and even the ads I'm served are less annoying. So why is this good news if you are working in media? Well - the reason is that there is a need for a tonne more of it. Producing excellent content for a thousand or more people can mean you can make a living. The days of broadcasting to millions may be waning but if you are passionate about what you do and willing to share, its time to wax lyrical. There was a real star system in play. Media jobs in general start off as low paid or no -paid and thousands scrimp and save to try and get into the 'big time'. When you are there, the rewards are fantastic but it meant that only a handful could really do well. Now, people's attention is starting to be spread more evenly allowing more people to make a reasonable living without the need for 10 bazillion dollars in radio station / tv station behind you. Feel any better? I’ll have a craic at cheering you up a little shall I?

It is true that the “industrial media machine” of the past five decades is starting to grind to a halt. I bought Seth Godin’s ‘Purple Cow’ book over Christmas and, in it, he tells us that it used to be you could create a mediocre product, add media spend and voila – you had a money making machine. It was a home run. You couldn’t really go wrong as long as you had the moula to build a breakfast cereal factory.

Now we are in the age of personalisation. I don’t have to sit around and listen to the same thing the 380,028 other people in my demographic listen to. I have choice.

My media choice is now tailored to exactly what I’m interested in. My media is more interesting and even the ads I’m served are less annoying.

So why is this good news if you are working in media? Well – the reason is that there is a need for a tonne more of it. Producing excellent content for a thousand or more people can mean you can make a living. The days of broadcasting to millions may be waning but if you are passionate about what you do and willing to share, its time to wax lyrical.

There was a real star system in play. Media jobs in general start off as low paid or no -paid and thousands scrimp and save to try and get into the ‘big time’. When you are there, the rewards are fantastic but it meant that only a handful could really do well. Now, people’s attention is starting to be spread more evenly allowing more people to make a reasonable living without the need for 10 bazillion dollars in radio station / tv station behind you.

Feel any better?

]]>