A recent survey revealed that among the top 10 gadgets replaced by smart phones, radio is the 8th most replaced device. The survey says 27.5 % of smart phone users no longer tune in using traditional radio units. Click here for the report.
In a separate study, a research company also reported that this year there is an increase of 48% in mobile online radio listening than in 2009. Click here for report.
SAM Broadcaster, the most popular radio automation software for online radio stations has just announced recently their updated version. It’s long overdue but the wait is worth it.
Here are essentially five things you should know about the new version.
No. 1 Updated Sam Interface – the new interface boasts of a new graphical user interface that is very relevant with today’s modern operating system. The new skin is the talk of the town and the best thing is the skin update is free. Just click here (http://spacial.com/sam-broadcaster)
No. 2 New Branding – the company has always been called Spacial Audio, but they now dropped ‘Audio’ and is now branding itself as simply “Spacial”. Other products like SAM Party DJ is now called SAM DJ, and SimpleCast is now called SAM Cast.
Overseas Filipino Workers who hail from Digos City now have the chance to listen to local programming, as FM station here opens new streaming portal.
Gold FM 93.5 (DXRM FM), a radio station of Kalayaan Broadcasting System, Inc. launched their own website http://www.goldfm935.com.
Streaming is made available through Ustream.tv. The 1000 watt powered radio station first came to the airwaves in November 12, 2008.
It’s primary market covers the province of Davao del Sur. Secondary: Davao City, Davao del Norte, North Cotabato, South Cotabato. Tertiary: Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani Province, Davao Oriental, and Comval Province.
So another radio station, a rock station, in fact is closing shop. UR 105.9 a sister station of RJ 100 will cease to broadcast on the air. However, the station is migrating into a full blown internet radio station.
In an Inquirer article, the management revealed launching an Facebook-exclusive radio station, claiming to be the first Facebook radio station, although a lot of Philippine stations have already been broadcasting on Facebook through Ustream or Livestream.
Programmer Junald Oncada developed a Facebook App that lets you listen to not only 1 but all Philippine terrestrial and internet radio stations. Those streaming on Ustream and Livestream are included in this application. No more switching Facebook pages, you get to tune in from station to station under 1 page. You can try it here
announced new content deals and a strategic development agreement with Pollack Media for its new “Digital Moms”- focused internet radio network, Athena365. Since its beta launch in mid November, Athena365 has attracted hundreds of thousands of women, generating thousands of registrants and Facebook likes. Athena365 music stations showcase styles from Pop to Jazz, and Athena talk stations, like Harpo Radio, feature celebrities such as Dr. Oz and Dr. Laura Berman.
Building on this early momentum, Live365 is now bringing a variety of successful bloggers and authors to Athena365. Planned featured stations include talk programming by Dr. Sagall of Pediatrics for Parents; Melinda Roberts, author of themommyblog.net and Mommy Confidential; and Dawn Friedman, an author published by The Huffington Post and Parenting.com. These partners will provide their unique insights on health, parenting, relationships, and other subjects of interest to the women served by Athena365.
“I wanted more ways to reach my audience. On-the-go Moms can’t read my blog while they’re driving. But they can listen to me on Athena365,” said Melinda Roberts. “It’s a great chance to adapt what I do to the lifestyle of my audience.”
“We have this list of people we think are just incredibly talented and brilliant. We have to get them on the air,” said Gary Lipkowitz, Director of Business Development at Live365. “We are explicitly promising Athena365 listeners a compelling stream of content that will both entertain and enrich their lives. This is the first step toward fulfilling that promise.”
The Athena365 team has also joined forces with veteran music experts and media consultants Pollack Media Group. The Pollack Media Team, led by Jeff Pollack and programmer Pat Welsh, is curating Live365’s extensive station roster for inclusion on Athena365. In addition, the Pollack Media team is working closely with Live365 to deliver new content and distribution partnerships.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be part of Athena365’s growth,” said Jeff Pollack. “We’ve been hearing positive feedback about Athena365 from prospective partners, and I’m confident that Athena365 listeners are going to see some big names coming their way.”
About Athena365.com
Athena365 is the new 24/7 cloud internet radio network dedicated to women, moms, and families. Athena radio is built on the Live365 platform, which has been broadcasting over the internet continuously since 1999. Athena365 features music stations ranging from Pop to Classical, as well as talk programming on topics including health, fitness, and finance. The Athena365 women’s radio network is owned and operated by Live365. Live365’s end-to-end broadcast services empower individuals and organizations to reach audiences around the globe, by providing tools, services and royalty coverage. Live365’s powerful advertising platform allows brands to reach their target audience segments at scale with display, audio and video ad units. For business development inquiries, contact busdev(at)athena365(dot)com
About Pollack Media
Pollack Media Group is an international media consultancy that specializes in connecting content and distribution companies with consumers. With experience in television, music, film, radio, print, and digital media, Pollack Media helps companies navigate the new media landscape, from traditional media to bleeding edge technologies. In the past 25 years, PMG has grown into one of the largest music and media advisory firms with worldwide clients including MTV, VH1, CMT, National Geographic, Microsoft, Harpo Inc., movie studios, managers, artists, radio stations and magazines. More recently Pollack has moved into the digital media space working with a wide variety of clients on strategy and business development.
Blazin100.com First Filipino-operated Internet-based Top 40 Station Featured on iTunes Radio (that is broadcasting from the Philippines and not abroad)
It’s a feather in the cap for Blazin100.com to have their station featured on the iTunes Radio list. And they’re even more proud that they are the first Filipino-operated Top 40 internet-based (not FM) station (that is broadcasting from the Philippines and not abroad) that is on the list.
So what is iTunes Radio? It’s a list of internet radio stations from different countries. You can find this list by downloading the iTunes 10 software that is totally free. On the left panel, under the Library section, you see a “Radio” tab.
The stations are categorized by genre like Rock, Classic, Reggae and Top 40 or stations that play current hits.
Applying for iTunes Radio wasn’t easy. A team from the Apple-owned entity reviews the station based on a set of criteria. And the station must pass the strict streaming quality requirement. Because of Blazin100.com’s high quality sound, the station made it to the list.
For Filipinos here or abroad who love the Top 40 sound of a Philippine broadcaster, they now have more options to listen to Blazin100.com, aside from its on-site Adobe Flash radio player.
Since the network took off with a new brand, TV5’s rapid growth gave the television industry a new hope. Something that televiewers have hoped for years, a new network that would bring in more variety to the current spectrum of terrestrial TV channels.
But as new programs are introduced to the Happy Network, it seemed like televiewers are getting the same servings of shows. The network is airing nightly soap operas that compete with the already tele-serye saturated primetime blocks by rivals ABS-CBN and GMA.
Weekend programmings are also similar with the other two established networks, shows like Paparazzi, and PO5 are familiar formats.
Willing Willie would have been a breath of fresh air at prime time evenings, giving TV Patrol nd 24 Oras a run for their money, but the game show is no different from Wowowee.
The celebrity gossip oriented show Juicy, however, is doing well on its noontime slot. But with rumors coming from Willie Revillame that a noontime show is cooking up, will televiewers again be getting the same stuff?
TV viewers would love to see innovative, fresh, but still sensible programs on TV. We just wish TV5 will bring in more creative shows.
The internet radio scene in the country is not that bullish yet but judging from the growing list of stations, businesses and listeners are definitely considering streaming radio as part of modern Filipinos’ media consumption. Here are the 10 reasons.
1. Commercial-free music – listeners prefer tuning in to internet radio than to the traditional radio for the absence of commercials. Stations like Blazin100.com and AtlantisRadio.net don’t air many or no commercials.
Businesses and even internet cafes go for these commercial-free web stations because they are suitable as in-store radio. Most establishments hesitate to re-lay traditional radio broadcasts onto their customers because they don’t want to air commercials that may come from competitors.
2. Niche programming – the traditional radio spectrum offers basically the same type of formats, “masa” (Hot AC), Top 40. The present list of Philippine internet radio stations, however, offers a variety of programming that over-the-air broadcasts do not.
On the web, you can listen to stations that play Classical Filipino, OPM rock, rap, and Gospel music to name a few.
3. Local Appeal – internet radio stations are popular among OFWs or overseas Filipino Workers due to lack of programming in their area that appeal to them. Stations that cater to this crowd are usually operated by OFWs.
Programming may include talk shows that offer advice such as the Buhay OFW show on Cyber Pinoy Radio (www.cyberpinoyradio.net).
4. Nostalgia – every one has grown up listening to a certain station that is why online stations such as Y101 FM Cebu are a click to listeners abroad. Most of the original programs and DJs on the station are still around after the Cebu-based station first opened in the 80s.
Defunct stations like WRock Manila, Max FM and Campus Radio have already gone online.
But it’s not only the nostalgic station name that most listeners are after of, it’s also the music nostalgia. Due to corporate and ratings pressures, traditional stations may no longer be playing songs that have once topped the charts but unfortunately do not fit the current ratings-hungry programming of most terrestrial stations.
Internet radio programmers have more creative and programming control because they don’t have to worry about ratings, this means, more music variety for listeners.
5. Multi and Social Media Enhanced Interactivity – compared to the conventional radio, internet radio stations are more listener-engaging. With station websites integrating social media like Facebook and Twitter, the audience can participate in discussions through chat widgets and discussion boards. A listener may also participate as a co-host using video streaming services like Stickam, Ustream or Livestream.
6. New Music/Artists Discovery – nowadays, artists and bands have more chances of exposure than before. Most internet radio stations are willing to play unsigned artists that are fit for their format. Blazin100.com recently included Wizhfulltinkers, Shuffled, and Bethany onto their playlist.
Blazin100.com does not accept payment in order to feature an independent artist. Most traditional stations would require monetary means just so a band can have their song played on air. This does not only help save artists money, but it’s also a big help to the local music industry.
7. Aggregated Information – internet radio stations now deliver and relay information in a multitude of ways. For instance, internet stations display the title of the songs on their website, a feature not available on traditional radio.
They are also able to distribute relevant and real time news through social media.
8. Innovation – the internet has so much to offer, it will not be long before every household in the country will be hooked. The internet has also gone more mobile than ever before. And every internet radio website will be there to improve as the internet revolution continues.
9. Listener-engaging playlist – because web stations are more listener-focused, their programming is more influenced on what listeners like to hear.
The integration of request boxes and even instant request airplays, give audiences more power on the playlist.
10. Talk-free programming – while online radio stations carry the same programming they have over the air, internet-based stations have lesser talks and fewer interruptions. Unless, it’s a talk format, internet stations have more songs covered in an hour, usually 12 to 13, than the 8 or 9 songs heard on FM radio.
You will find a list of internet radio stations in the Philippines below:
Radio Online Now 