Radio as an Information Provider
Interpersonal Computing and Technology
From: Nexus User fjames <fja...@nexus.edu.au>
Here in Australia, we are currently examining many things, and one issue
that has arisen for me recently is perceptions of media in a time of
change. Our national broadcaster is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
or ABC or even "Auntie ABC". If I remember rightly, a committee of enquiry
into the ABC called the Dix committee came up with the observation that
Australians turn to the ABC when they want to get informed, so I wondered
what if the ABC had a website for news, weather and sport - wouldn't
Australians really value that and be prepared to pay tax dollars for it?
The ABC _has_ got a website - I mean _another_ website, this one
specifically and intensively for news, weather and sport, and staffed to
support the sort of high volume of interactions that the Sydney year 2000
Olympic games might generate, so I am seeking information in this much
'larger pond'.
Our ABC came on the scene after radio was well and truly started and by
then Newspapers had pretty much reached their final form, so I don't expect
us to be able to see obvious parallels with newspapers, but I think one
might see parallels online, and it seems to me that there's a niche for a
'broadcaster' in the narrowcast online world.
For instance, isn't the communication on a discussion list somewhat like
that in 'letters to the editor'? And in an age of web browsers and
JavaScript couldn't you really 'go to town' on the colour supplement!
What happens when newspapers go online? Does their circulation drop?
What happens when coffee table books go online? Where do you put the PC?
What happens when radio stations go online? Do listeners discuss on a list?
What happens when magazines like National Geographic go online? Does their
readership profile change?
What questions should I have asked?
regards
Frank JAMES
29 Cudmore St., Sacred Heart College Senior School,
Somerton Park, 195-239 Brighton Road,
South Australia 5044 Somerton Park, South Australia 5044
Home phone (AH) 294 4102 SHCS Telephone +61 8 294 2988
email fja...@nexus.edu.au SHCS Facsimile +61 8 295 8461
Interpersonal Computing and Technology
From: David Petraitis <dav...@mare.ch>
At 08:14 04/08/96 -0400, Interpersonal Computing and Technology wrote:
>From: Nexus User fjames <fja...@nexus.edu.au>
<Some editing has occured...>
> so I wondered
>what if the ABC had a website for news, weather and sport - wouldn't
>Australians really value that and be prepared to pay tax dollars for it?
I doubt it. The Web site has not yet gotten to what the english would call a
"common cultural good" that they would feel HAS to be subsidized by
government. That being said many governments ARE subsidizing (i.e. paying
directly money for ...) governmental Websites. HANSARD in the UK comes to mind.
> and it seems to me that there's a niche for a
>'broadcaster' in the narrowcast online world.
Yes definitely. The Web sites management is much like a news or publishing
outfit. The staffing should be interested in creating "stories" that appeal
to a community. The best smaller websites have an explicit community of
interest that they address.
One of the most difficult things is to appeal to and sustain that community
on line.
>For instance, isn't the communication on a discussion list somewhat like
>that in 'letters to the editor'? And in an age of web browsers and
>JavaScript couldn't you really 'go to town' on the colour supplement!
Yes and yes, but be careful with bandwidth (for the next three years or so).
>What happens when newspapers go online? Does their circulation drop?
Not necessarily. Remember that most newspapers are not heavily subsidized
and live off advertising. One of my clients here in Europe is a sales rep
for advertising space that is trying to sell the concept of *print-plus* to
the newspapers. The ads that they have get and extra double hit on line and
they can be interactive there.
>What happens when coffee table books go online? Where do you put the PC?
In the TV.
>What happens when radio stations go online? Do listeners discuss on a list?
They already do. There are several TV and radio broadcasters (as well as
magazines) that have online chat and letter to the editor lists on line.
Look at pathfinder.com or CNN.com. It does not detract from their
broadcasting at all. Instead sometimes they may get tipped about breaking
news on line.
>What happens when magazines like National Geographic go online? Does their
>readership profile change?
Doubt it. You chose an upscale A1 and A2 class mag... The profile of online
"readers" is high income, (> US $50k), college educated, with children.
Mostly male though thats slowly changing.
The real question is can National Enquirer go on line, though the "Aliens
stole my baby" stories are rife on line anyway so why not? The readership
there is lower income singles or single mothers, mostly female.
>What questions should I have asked?
Who are you asking for? What you need to know depends on your purpose for
knowing sort of...
There are lots of factors in here, demographics, costs and revenues,
organization of web staff.
What you didn't ask about is streaming the radio show directly on line so
Australian around the world can hear it without needed to have a shortwave
radio. This is the most profound change for radio. Again, one of my clients
just set up a very expensive satellite up link for his programming to be
beamed to the US from Europe. However, we could stream his programming onto
the Internet today at a fraction of the cost. True, there might be some loss
of quality, but then ANYONE in the world could receive it. We could probably
have set up a leased line connections which would have accomplished the same
for him without the satellite costs. But, he did it without asking, so...
The internet changes cost structures and dis-intermediates trade
relationships. The broadcasters used to form into syndicates to share
programming. Now the programming can get directly to anyone n the world.
This changes the structure of economic relatioships that have been around
for YEARS. This will be painful and there will be resistance to change.
Regards,
David Petraitis
Mare Conseil
Marketing and Re-engineering
ch. Sous les Roches
1264 St-Cergue, Switzerland
http://www.mare.ch/
Internet Service Providers Europe Newsletter: http://www.mare.ch/ispe