MediaVoice BLOG #6

This week, the Wharf Rat Rally, Ducklings at NSCC and why those in Radio should pay attention to the IIMDA.

Can you believe Summer 09 is coming to a close ? Yes.. it technically wraps on Sept 21st but you have to admit, Fall is in the September air and the tips of leaves are starting to curl and losing their lustre. Also, in what may soon be a new bookmark for the end of summer in Nova Scotia, it’s Wharf Rat Rally time in Digby. One of the reasons my Blog is late this week is due in part to WRR. Just got back tonite from my 3rd annual trek to Digby town for the Bike rally. It’s something I thought I'd never see this soon, but the ABF (Apple Blossom Festival) has now lost it’s title as Western Nova Scotia’s biggest tourism event. I’ve been involved in Apple Blossom one way or another for so many years I’ve lost count but one thing is certain… there were more people in Digby today than I have ever seen at any Apple Blossom Festival in 30 years of memory. What a great event WRR has become and I only see one drawback on the horizon…. that if this Rally gets any larger, it will physically outgrow the town of Digby which is literally ready to burst at the seams on this Saturday night. Talk about a good problem to have as Rally organizers sit down next week to look over their figures. I’ll close on WRR with only one thing to say. ** NOTE to self…use iTouch to set reminder for next week to book a room in Digby for 2010.

School is back on Sept 8th for another new NSCC semester and as Yvonne Colbert says with endearing charm each year at this time..… “the new ducklings arrive on Tuesday.” With student and station stats now in for the summer, this year marks the 4th year in a row that radio employment amongst NSCC Radio majors is hovering above 95%. Radio employment is rockin right now and it’s very strange to think that 16 years ago, it was almost impossible to find work. By the way, that was 1993 and Voice Tracking Automation was just 5 years old with most stations ..but not all.. falling over themselves downsizing to save cash. How times have changed. And really in the next few years I see the industry having to evolve again as we move toward a multi-platform delivery system of creative audio content. Be that as it may, one thing’s for sure.. no one is in a better position to fill all that content that'll be required than terrestrial Radio 'IF' we make the right moves. And on that note…let’s segue right to this.

Last week, buried about 6 levels down in an obscure technical web-link, I stumbled onto a story about the IIMDA…it’s a world body of techies that see a very bright and growing future for Internet Radio. The I.I.M.D.A. which stands for the International Internet Media Device Aliance has called a Press Conference this week in Berlin, Germany. The reason.…. to unveil plans in order to harmonize standards for the growing number of manufacturers who plan to build stand-alone and mobile Internet Radios. The IMDA Tech Summit will follow and this is where the top international geeks get together to discuss the future of Internet connected media devices. This new association is a pretty interesting group with an even more intriguing mandate. Here are a few of the promotional hilights as the IMDA looks to attract new members. From their official website, they are offering new members a chance to:

1) jointly promote the idea of Internet radios to retailers and consumers.
2) influence the direction of the coming internet radio industry – and to be a part of it.
3) stay on top of internet radio market trends and future developments.
4) influence soon to be drafted technical specifications for new internet radios.
And most importantly to….
5) give key players a chance to avoid sitting on the sidelines as this new industry takes real shape.

Now if you're a part of the terrestrial radio industry, you’ve got to be intrigued, excited and a bit curious about this latest new media development. IF however you’re not interested, could care less or don’t see any relavence of this in your future.. then my friend your days in Radio are probably on the downward slide toward a quiet uneventful end. This small technical story, buried in the back pages of Engineering and IT journals marks another step in the next and potentially greatest evolutionary leap that our Radio medium will face since Fessenden sent that first Christmas message out to sea in 1906. The big question is… that as an industry, depending on if we either embrace this or ignore it... will determine if we lead, follow or simply get pushed out of the way. By the way, here’s an early model sample of what’s on the way for an in-home listening device. I know where I stand on this subject, and as one who’s never stopped studying the Radio medium, I’m curious about your thoughts.

As always, I welcome your comments and thanks for reading.

David 0db Bannerman