thirtiesandsixties.com

I own a few domains that I’m not using. Squatting, if you will. I keep renewing BasementDiaries.com in hopes that I’ll eventually get around to moving that site to it’s own space. I just registered thirtiesandsixties.com. An idea that occurred to me while swilling beer with Scott earlier this evening. We were talking about radio and advertising and the big-chested blond at the bar and I went off on a riff about how someday the notion of little 30 and 60 second chuncks of advertising would seem quaint. More to the point, how our business (radio networks) is dependent on the concept of “thirties and sixties.” We’ll sell you “x” 30’s (or 60’s) between 6a and 7pm for “x” dollars. We sell “units.”

A blog about advertising or radio or networks could do worse than thirtiesandsixties.com. We’ll have more on that, right after this from our sponsor.

David Lee Roth, Adam Carolla to replace Howard Stern

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?

XM offers “biggest givaway” at World Series

“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

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).

Clear Channel wants more radio stations

Clear Channel Chief Executive Mark Mays, citing competition from satellite-delivered subscription radio, proposed that broadcast radio operators be able to own 10 stations instead of eight in markets where there are at least 60 stations and up to 12 stations in markets where at least 75 radio outlets operate.

“Free radio is struggling. The cost of competing with new technologies and increased listener choice is staggering and profits are down,” Mays said at a speech to the Progress and Freedom Foundation. Clear Channel, which owns about 1,200 radio stations, saw earnings decline 13 percent in the second quarter because of weak advertising revenues

“We are streaming the vast majority of our radio stations,” he said in response to a question. “From that perspective, we are cannibalizing ourselves and we feel like we have to be in that Internet space.” [Thanks to the Heater Man]