Category Archives: Media & Culture

Best Songs of the Rock Era

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I was hoping someone had posted this and it makes perfect sense to find it on John Sandford’s “official website.” If you know who John Sandford is, you know who Lucas Davenport is: main character in a very popular series of novels. In Broken Prey, Lucas’ wife has given him an iPod and a certificate for 100 songs from iTunes. Woven throughout the novel are scenes in which Lucas tries to decide whether a particular song should or should not make his “Best Songs of thte Rock Era” list. A fun plot element that concludes with said list at the end of the novel. The thought of trying this myself is somehow exciting and frightening at the same time.

I suggested to Radio Randy that he should invited readers to nominate songs and he post the current 100. As a “better” song comes in, it bumps something else. Eventually, you wind up with his “best” and he heads off to iTunes. I’d love to see Terry McVey’s list as well.

Living Healthy Podcast

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LHP_Studios_2749

For months now, I’ve been noodling around ideas for a podcast. We have several projects underway at work and the only way to really get a feel for what’s happening “in this space,” is to get your hands dirty, as it were.

The Living Healthy Podcast features Dr. Henry Domke, a family physician here in Jefferson City. Henry is unique in that he might talk with a patient for 20-30 minutes before laying on a hand. It finally dawned on me that a weekly chat with Henry might make a pretty interesting podcast. I approached him with the idea…he loved it… and we posted the first show yesterday.

Brushes with Near Greatness: Wayne Newton

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Seeing Wayne Newton perform at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas at the height of his career…depressing. Seeing Wayne Newton perform at his theater in Branson, Missouri in the twilight of his career…real depressing. Going backstage with your grandmother to stand in line to meet Wayne Newton after the show…a Brush with Near Greatness for little 12-year-old Lane.

AUDIO: Description of BWNG

David Lee Roth, Adam Carolla to replace Howard Stern

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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

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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

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“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

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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).

33 years in radio

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Frequent visitors to smays.com know that my pop was a radio guy. He was an announcer, news guy, sales rep and station manager during his 33 years. That always seemed like a very long time. A few days ago it occurred to me that I have been in or around the radio business for that long. Not quite, if you count the year I spent in Albuquerque trying to get a radio job (I do count that year). It’s really harder to count the last 5 or 6 years doing web stuff (for a company that provides programming to radio stations). If dad were still with us, I belive I could take him into a radio station and he’d still recognize what was going on there as radio. I wonder how much longer that would be true.