(Weekend Edition)
While radio was trying to digest the encouraging news posted by the enemy - Internet and mobile radio, NPR CEO Vivian Schiller was making a bold and stunning prediction for the former. Among other things, Schiller expects all cars will have Internet radio in one form or another "pretty soon." Schiller adds that 40% of weekday listening is now in-car and once there is Internet in the car, people ideally will listen to the same stations in the car. I can't agree with that statement but Schiller is hoping, praying that the same station she refers to is NPR, no longer called National Public Radio as Ms. Schiller reminded everyone at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital (D8) Conference. Pulling no punches, Schiller then applied her blockbuster prediction. Schiller says Internet radio over the next 5-10 years will take the place of traditional broadcast radio. This bold statement comes from the CEO of a network that continues to grow. At latest count - 34 million listeners, averaging 6 hours a week...
Schiller is not alone in feeling the strength of Internet and mobile. According to the market research firm AccuStream, listening to online and mobile music services is expected to grow by 15% this year to 8.3 billion hours and is forecast to expand another 22% in 2011. The report notes that ad-supported listening hours are forecast to improve by 20% this year as "inventory sellout rates continue to rise, royalty rates slightly more favorable to smaller operators are reset and mobile platforms achieve greater scale." The report also notes that audio and video ad sales made up about 50% of total media spending against Internet radio in 2009, generating market value of $168 million to $190 million. Ad spending on mobile music services is expected to reach $6.7 million this year...
Like it or not - it's here. Here are your options. Either embrace mobile and the Internet, get involved in it or turn around - hit the road and don't let the door hit you on the way out...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1933] Fogging up the windows of the old Chevy: The first drive-in opens in Pennsauken (NJ). The lot covered 10 acres with enough room for 400 rockin' cars (6/6)...
2.1944] The dawning of D-Day: U.S. troops land in Normandy. The number one song that day was "I'll Get By" by Dick Haymes with the Harry James Orchestra. All major league games are cancelled (6/6). The next time all the games are cancelled is September 11, 2001...
3.1967] Guilty as charged: Mass murderer Richard Speck is sentenced to death in the electric chair for his murder rampage. The sentence is reduced to a life term. Speck dies of a heart attack in prison in 1991, one day short of his 50th birthday (6/5)...
4.1968] Another Kennedy is cut down: Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) is shot and mortally wounded after claiming victory in the California Democratic Primary. Gunman Sirhan B. Sirhan is immediately captured (6/5). Kennedy will die from his wounds on June 6…
5.1974] Cleveland Rocks: The Cleveland Indians hold "10-Cent Beer Night" but are forced to forfeit their game with Texas because of drunk, unruly fans carrying on. Not Cleveland’s finest hour (6/4)…
6.1978] TV steals radio news format name: "20/20" debuts on ABC-TV (and it's still on)(6/6)...
7.1981] The birth of AIDS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 5 men have come down with a rare form of pneumonia. These are the first reported cases of what will become AIDS (6/5)...
8.2002] Kidnapped: Fourteen-year old Elizabeth Smart is kidnapped from her parents' home in Salt Lake City (6/5)...
9.2003] Not such a good thing: Martha Stewart steps down as head of her media empire, hours after federal prosecutors charge her with obstruction of justice, conspiracy, securities fraud, lying to investigators and having a dirty cake pan (6/4)…
10.2004] 'Happy Trails': Ronald Wilson Reagan, our 40th president dies in Los Angeles after a long struggle with Alzheimer's. Reagan was 93 (6/5)...
Commentary:
With the death of Rue McClanahan yesterday following a stroke at 76, Betty White is the last remaining 'Golden Girl'. McClanahan won the Emmy Award in 1987 for starring as Blanche Deveraux. 'The Golden Girls' debuted in 1985, winning best comedy series at the Emmy Awards in 1986. The series became only the second TV show, after 'All in The Family' to have an entirely Emmy-winning cast (McClanahan, Estelle Getty, Betty While and Bea Arthur). 'Golden Girls' went off the air in May, 1992...
Music Memories:
•1955] #1 on this date: "Rock Around The Clock" - Bill Haley and The Comets (6/6)...1960] "Only The Lonely" - Roy Orbison (6/6)...1966] "Paint It Black" - Rolling Stones (on the same (6/6) date Stokely Carmichael launches the 'Black Power' movement)...1984] "Time After Time" - Cyndi Lauper (6/5)...
•1957] Released on this date: "Be-Bop-A-Lula" - Gene Vincent (6/5)...1957] "Suzie Q" - Dale Hawkins (6/5)...1984] "Born in the U.S.A" LP - Bruce Springsteen (6/4)...
•1971] Kiss-a-me goodnight Eddie: "The Ed Sullivan Show" is cancelled after 23 years on CBS-TV. The last musical act is Gladys Knight & the Pips (6/6)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (6/4) Angelina Jolie (35), Noah Wyle (39), Parker Stevenson (58), Gordon Waller (65), Michelle Phillips (66), Bruce Dern (74) and Dr. Ruth Westheimer (82)...(6/5) Mark Wahlberg (39), Kenny G (54), Suze Orman (59), Laurie Anderson (63), Robert Kraft (69) and Bill Moyers (76)...(6/6) Uncle Kracker aka Matthew Shafer(36), Paul Giamatti (43), Sandra Bernhard (55), Freddy Kreuger aka Robert England (61), Larry Lujack (70) and Gary U.S. Bonds (71)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 day until the Belmont Stakes, 16 days until Father's Day, 17 days until summer and 30 days until July 4th...
