David Lee Roth, Adam Carolla to replace Howard Stern

Posted on October 25, 2005 by Steve Mays

After weeks of speculation as to who will inherit the microphone from Howard Stern, Infinity Broadcasting today said former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth and late-night talk show host Adam Carolla will take over the shock jock’s morning-drive broadcasts in New York and Los Angeles, respectively. Mr. Stern remains on the air through December 16. [AdAge.com]

Okay, I’m not a Howard Stern fan and I’m not as smart as the guys running Infinity Broadcasting… but this just feels like they’ve thrown in the towel. Adam Carolla, maybe. But David Lee Roth?

Casual content creators

Posted on October 21, 2005 by Steve Mays

Evan Williams is one of the people that created Blogger and is now trying to do something similar for podcasting (Odeo). He explains clearly and simply why podcasting is catching on and why it is somehow more than –or at least different– than radio as I have always known it: (By way of Scripting News.)

While blogging can be about playing on a world stage to influence, gain audience, and, potentially, monetize (the same goals as most other media), there are millions of people who are happily publishing daily without those motivations. For them, it’s more about expression, self-reflection, and communication. I call these people “casual content creators.” It’s not just that they’re amateur or part of the great, unwashed, Long Tail. It’s that they’re playing a different game.

XM offers “biggest givaway” at World Series

Posted on October 21, 2005 by Steve Mays

“Touting it as the largest giveaway in the 102-year history of the World Series, XM Satellite Radio said Thursday it was giving a free satellite radio to every fan who enters U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago for Game One this Saturday between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros. Fans will receive a coupon good for the new Delphi XM RoadyXT satellite radio receiver which retails for $79.99 plus a World Series commemorative pin.” — Billboard Radio Monitor

200 new car models satellite ready in 2006

Posted on October 19, 2005 by Steve Mays

Michael Endelman gives us one more look at what’s happening in the radio business in a piece called “Lost In Transmission” (October 21, 2005 issue of Entertainment Weekly – Registration required). Nothing regular visitors to smays.com haven’t seen before. My favorite factoid: “In 2006, satellite radios will come factory-installed in nearly 200 models of new cars — up from just two models four years ago.” For those with a power-to-the-people bent: “Ten years ago, you needed millions of dollars and and FCC license to go into the radio biz. Now all you need is a laptop.”

Steve’s Weird Media Moment for 19-Oct-05: I was driving to work listening to Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code on the nano and reached over (to my car radio) to turn the volume down, only to discover my radio was not turned on (shudder).

Weblog Usability: Top 10 Mistakes

Posted on October 17, 2005 by Steve Mays

Online usability expert Jakob Nielsen gives us The Top Ten Design Mistakes for Weblog Usability in this weeks Alertbox:

1. No Author Biographies
2. No Author Photo
3. Nondescript Posting Titles
4. Links Don’t Say Where They Go
5. Classic Hits are Buried
6. The Calendar is the Only Navigation
7. Irregular Publishing Frequency
8. Mixing Topics
9. Forgetting That You Write for Your Future Boss
10. Having a Domain Name Owned by a Weblog Service

I sometimes get a little too cute with my post titles (#3) and I struggle to keep my focus narrow (#8) but, all in all, I’m giving smays.com high marks. He explains each of these and I urge my blogging friends to take 5 minutes to read and heed what Uncle Jakob has to say.

Ben Krech on quitting smoking

Posted on October 17, 2005 by Steve Mays

“I feel better now when I feel bad than I used to feel when I felt good.”

Presentations are conversations

Posted on October 15, 2005 by Steve Mays

Garr Reynolds blogs about “professional presentation design” and offers some terrific insight into Steve Job’s presentation style, using his recent roll-out of the video iPod. Be sure to watch the video. This is how it’s done, kids. [via Micro Persuasion]

“What has always made Steve Jobs such a great presenter is that he seems relaxed and informal in tone and style (yet gracious), as if he were having a conversation with a group of friends at home in the backyard. … the essence of his masterful style is something many (most?) people can achieve in their own unique way. The secret is to communicate in front of a large group the same way you do everyday when you are talking with your spouse or your best friend down at the local Starbucks. The key is to look at presentations as conversations.”

Brushes with Near Greatness: Mary Hart

Posted on October 15, 2005 by Steve Mays

Long-time farm broadcaster Jerry Passer was working at WMT-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the mid-70’s, when a young Mary Hart came over from South Dakota to do feature segments for the midday news-farm show. Jerry recalls those million dollar gams looked great in the mini-skirts that were popular at the time.

AUDIO: BWNG #003

Shareing the nano

Posted on October 13, 2005 by Steve Mays

Belkin Wireless Transmitter and Nano Popped into Staples today and picked up a Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter for the nano. The plan is to load up with tunes and podcasts for the long drive to Destin. I must say this model seems to work much better than the first one I tried and allows me to select any open frequency (instead of just 4 down at the bottom of the dial).

I’m listening more and more to podcasts. Favorites to date: Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code; Leo LaPorte’s This Week in Tech (TWIT); and NPR’s Tech News.

smays.com

“We’re all becoming the people we really were all along.” — Random Walk

Author Archives: Steve Mays