Thanks for coming...now GET OUT!

So, yeah. This is my last post on this blog. My original purpose of this blog was to write about the radio business. While I still have opinions on this industry, I simply don't have the time to sit down and write posts about it anymore. Most of my spare time these days is taken up by my beautiful wife and kids.

The rest of my energy is devoted to my fledgling voice over business. In fact, I recently created my own website as a sort of store front. I invite you to check out http://scottselva.com and, you know, hire me for all of your voice over needs. And it's OK if you use cliche copy such as "for all of your ______ needs."

If I can do my best Jerry Springer for just a moment, I'd like to leave you with some final thoughts about radio. I believe that the future is bright. It's a time for change, and I'm excited about what radio will become in the next 5 years. Radio will face its most dramatic shift since the fall of shows like "Little Orphan Annie" and "Amos 'n' Andy," and the rise of all-music formats. Nobody with half a brain thinks that radio can keep doing the same thing we've been doing for decades and hope to survive. There are some great minds working from the outside such as Mark Ramsey and Fred Jacobs who really seem to have a grasp on what radio needs to do. Godspeed to those guys and good luck getting their ideas heard in the boardrooms. I'm looking forward to the new ideas that will be introduced by the next generation of radio executives.

I hope to be a part of it.

Jay Leno in primetime?! Who saw that coming?

I know the country's at a historical moment with the incoming Obama administration and all, but never mind that. Did you hear about this Jay Leno thing?!

Let me admit up front that I really dislike Leno. When I hear that someone prefers Leno over Letterman, that's like hearing that someone prefers getting punched in the balls to eating a delicious slice of pizza.

So, to hear that Leno is going to be on every weeknight at 10pm, and that NBC thinks this is a good idea--wait a second. How about The Ball-Punching Hour at 10 instead? Oh wait. We already have AFV for that.

I mean, am I missing something here? Leno's going to come on at 10, have guests, riff on the day's news. Then we get 35 minutes of local news. Then Conan comes on with guests and news riffs. Then Jimmy Fallon with, let's see, I don't know, guests and riffs? Then..is that Carson Daly show still on? NBC thinks that all of these shows will work?

Combine that with word that NBC is considering giving some prime time back to the local affiliates, and that's where the history-making comes in. I think we're witnessing the beginning of the end of NBC as we know it.

But, will the network transform into something better or worse? A year from now they may look like geniuses if they're making money. Hell, it may be sooner than a year if a SAG strike happens and lasts long enough to have some impact.

There's no doubt that now is the time for old media to make some bold moves and transform itself in order to survive. But, Jay Leno on every night at 10? I just refuse to believe that that's the answer.

New customers for old radio

Random thought...

Bloomberg is mostly known for reporting financial news. But they also sell their content to the struggling newspaper industry. In other words, Bloomberg is selling their reporting expertise to companies who need it in order to appeal to their customers.

Radio already has audio expertise and infrastructure already in place. So, besides listeners and advertisers, I wonder who would be in the market to buy what radio has to offer?

Satellite Radio's Real Competition

I just saw this video thanks to the CNET TiVoCast:

Did you watch it?  Good. 

So, it's basically a radio.  My first thought was that this was more competiton for broadcast radio.  But it's really not.  At least, it's not new competition.  Sirius XM should be the ones who worry about a product like this.

The Slacker G2 is more about niche programming on-the-go, which satellite radio delivers.  In fact, that ability has been one of Sirius XM's selling points.  But, services like Slacker, Pandora, Last.fm and the like go one step further and give the listener a great deal of control.  Satellite radio lacks that completely.

And, of course, listening to the Slacker G2 is free vs. the $12.99/month Sirius XM subscription fee.  That's the killer feature right there.

Now, back to broadcast radio.  OK, yes, the Slacker G2 is competition.  This is yet another reason that radio needs to evolve.  

More localism, unique programming and a strong sense of community are no longer ideas to consider for the future.

NY politicians investigating PPM

Both the Attorney General for the state of New York and the New York city council are attacking Arbitron's PPM system.

Hey, nobody's all that thrilled with Arbitron. But, government investigation?

New York must be a really nice place to live. Apparently they've solved all the more important problems like crime, hungry children, and Donald Trump's hair. That's great news.

I can only imagine a society where the law makers keep their priorities in check, instead of reacting to political groups and lobbyists.

That would make a fantastic science fiction novel.