Um objectivo indirecto deste trabalho é ajudar a perceber qual é afinal - se é que é possivel chegar desde já a certezas - o papel que a Internet está a desempenhar junto da rádio. É apenas um suporte, um novo suporte, como defende por exemplo Martinéz-Costa, que se limita a facilitar «la integração digital de la rádio y la oferta de nuevos servicios» (2004:9) ou afinal «una nueva forma de comunicación», como também defende a mesma autora?
«estamos assistiendo a la configuración de un nuevo concepto de radio» (3)
«encrucijada tecnológica» (3)
«Es ’una radio que lee y se ve’, como han señalado repetidas veces otros autores. Aparecen otros servicios y sonidos que no son radio en el sentido tradicional del término» (4)»
«Internet no puede ser considerado como uma competencia directa de la radio tradicional ni de la radio digital en DAB. Internet es un nuevo soporte que facilita la integración digital de la radio y la oferta de nuevos servicios. Cuando se habla actualmente de radio en internet, por tanto, hay que entender que se trata de una nueva forma de comunicación y no exclusivamente de un nuevo soporte» (9)
«La radio deja de definirse por su suporte técnico, o por la tecnología que lo sustenta, e impone un concepto basado en sus contenidos y funciones: la radio no se define de ahora en más por lá técnica sino por las ofertas» (9) [DESDE QUE SUGIRAM CANAIS ALTERNATIVOS PARA DIFUNDIR NÃO HERTZIANAMENTE O MESMO CONTEUDO CONVENCIONAL, COMO A TV CABO - EUA - QUE O CONCEITO FICOU EM CRISE; É DUVIDOSO QUE «LAS OFERTAS» DEFINAM UM MEIO. OFERTAS SONORAS?]
«El modelo de programación de la radio actual está caduco desde antes del inicio del debate digital. Lo que ocurre es que, a pesar de ello y a corto plazo, sigue siendo rentable para las empresas. Pero no a medio plazo» (11)
Martinéz-Costa, 2004
MARTÍNEZ COSTA, Maria del Pilar (2004) ,La radio digital en Europa: perspectivas y evolución, Quaderns del CAC, Nº. 18, págs. 3-12
Por muitos que estudos digam que «
é importante esperar para perceber primeiro se existe realmente uma fadiga do iPod e, mais importante, se isso se reflectirá num regresso (ou numa descoberta) da rádio
A necessidade de um editor (de um gatekeeper) poderá ser anulada pela informática na rádio musical - é possivel estabelecer prioridades, grelhas, pré-requisitos que, uma vez cumpridos, irão determinar por exemplo o que é que cada um pode definir para uma antena. Imagine-se uma emissão (hertziana ou streaming, embora no primeiro caso seja mais dificil de conceber) em que a música que passa é a mais votada pelos utilizadores.
Da mesma forma, se falamos em personalização (playlists) o editor - alguém que tem a última palavra sobre o que vai ser transmitido - é desnecessário. E se a ideia é personalização de conteúdos, mesmo para a rádio de palavra, este editor não faz sentido.
Onde o editor tem de aparecer é numa emissão de palavra, mesmo que com contributos dos utilizadores, porque é preciso hierarquizar, definir, escolher - não entra qualquer coisa...
«For those with even more free time between now and May 8, pandora.com is running two VW radio stations called, not surprisingly: ‘Music for the People.’ Listeners can vote for which artists they want to hear and Pandora will collate all requests into a democratic playlist. Selling cars used to be so much simpler.» fonte: VW polls the people 28/04/08 LA TIMes
«Conversely, many artists have rallied in favor of the performance right, saying that they are being denied payments in the U.S. that they receive in most other countries. In February, more than 6,000 artists from more than 15 countries delivered a petition to Congress urging the prompt enactment of the legislation. Artists from Australia, Argentina, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Mexico and more signed the petition and added their names to a coalition within the U.S. music community – the musicFIRST Coalition – which advocates the change in U.S. policy.» More House Members Oppose Radio Performance Fee, 1/05/08, FMQB
«US Internet users ages 10 to 15 flocked to social networks last year as if getting a MySpace account would increase their allowances. Harris Interactive said in its April 2008 issue of Youth Trends that more than half of US girls ages 13 to 15 used social networking Web sites in 2007, roughly the same as in 2006. Social networking jumped among other boys and girls surveyed: more than twice as many children ages 10 to 12 reported using social networking sites in 2007 as did in 2006.»
fonte: Teen Social Networking Still Growing eMarketeer, MAY 1, 2008
«CONSUMERS WANT MUSIC, NOT SUBSCRIPTIONS: Music subscriptions services aren’t catching on with consumers, according to figures released by the RIAA. Subscriptions to services like Rhapsody and Napster grew from 1.7 million subscribers in 2006 to just 1.8 million in 2007 — an increase well under 1%. Revenues actually fell 2.6% over this same time span (from $206.2 million to $200.9 million). As Digital Music News reports, there are fewer companies competing in the space. Rhapsody has taken over MTV’s Urge, and RealNetworks (Rhapsody’s parent) is assuming control of Yahoo Music.» (fonte: CONSUMERS WANT MUSIC, NOT SUBSCRIPTIONS, Apr 29, 11:46 AM by: Paul Maloney»
«CC TARGETS YOUNGER DEMOS WITH ONLINE MUSIC PORTAL/SOCIAL NETWORK: Clear Channel has launched an online music service and social network called eRockster, targeted to 13-34-year-olds. The service was actually introduced over the weekend at the California rock festival Coachella by the actor Eric Szmanda (from the CBS show “CSI”), who is credited as “producer and inspiration” for the service. Beginning May 2, eRockster will reportedly be made available from Clear Channel station sites including KYSR-FM/Los Angeles, WWDC-FM/Washington, D.C. and WRFF-FM/Philadelphia. ERockster content may also be ported to HD2 side channels and as an on-the-air syndicated show. “We want to be be playing everything from indie rock to hip-hop to classic rock to soul to dance rock,” Szmanda explained in a press statement.« fonte: «CLEAR CHANNEL LAUNCHES eROCKSTER FOR YOUNG ONLINE LISTENERS·Apr 29, 11:46 AM by: Paul Maloney»
«Clear Channel’s new radio station, or The Arrow, or Virgin Xtreme, or any number of other “music jukebox” channels, just play a mix of music which is suboptimal, for me, to that available from a computer program or a website - or, even, from a tightly tuned iTunes. Surely the future of radio isn’t just non-stop music jukebox channels? Can’t one-to-one technology do that job better? Or is the job of a programme director really just the job of a music scheduler these days?» (is all about music, James Cridland, 4/05/08)
«Let's breakdown a fairly recent RCW Wireless news account:
"A recent study from TNS Global Telecoms found that 43% of all mobile users listen to some form of music on their phones, and 73% of smartphones double as music players. And while the use of MP3 players on phones is up 78% in the last year, mobile radio uptake has seen a whopping 140% increase".
The high use of mobile devices for listening to music is not surprising, but mobile radio listening is. The reason may be that this study was worldwide in scope including countries where radio has not yet committed consolidated suicide.
"TNS — which polled an astounding 16,000 consumers in 29 countries for the study — also found that 45% of users list AM/FM as one of the top three factors in purchasing a mobile phone".
I'll make you a money bet that if you polled U.S. consumers only, you would find AM/FM's effect on purchasing a mobile phone almost negligible.
Ask anyone.
Who do you know that requires AM/FM access on a mobile device? The next generation will tell you that they have moved on beyond radio. It's simply not important to them.
"Meanwhile, a recent study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 17% of U.S. mobile users play music on their phones, nearly matching the 19% who use mobile e-mail or surf the wireless Web".
Note the lower use of mobile phones for listening to music. Keep in mind many of these folks listen to MP3s not streaming radio. (...) «The cell phone may be everywhere but consumers don't necessarily want it to do everything.» (Jerry Del Colliano, Cell Phones Are Not Transistor Radios Inside Music Media, 30/04/08)
«Segundo os resultados do estudo Netpanel da Marktest, o número de utilizadores portugueses do site de partilha de vídeos Youtube aumentou 14 vezes desde o início de 2006.
O Netpanel contabiliza 1 501 mil portugueses com 4 e mais anos que visitaram o site Youtube a partir de suas casas durante o mês de Março de 2008. Este número representa 49.7% dos portugueses.
O site de partilha de vídeos actualmente mais popular comemora o seu terceiro aniversário, assinalado em Portugal por um forte incremento no seu número de utilizadores. Face a Janeiro de 2006, o número de utilizadores únicos deste site aumentou 14 vezes, passando dos 107 mil então contabilizados para os actuais 1 501 mil.
Em Janeiro de 2006, o número de utilizadores deste site representavam 3.5% dos internautas nacionais, ao passo que actualmente o seu peso ascende a 49.7%, o que significa que metade dos portugueses que navegam na Internet a partir de suas casas acedem a este site» (fonte: «Utilizadores do Youtube aumentam 14 vezes em 2 anos, Marktest.com, 29/4/08)
«"What the concept of private-label Internet radio allows businesses to do," Lassoff says, "is reach very narrow demographics with the messages that are most attractive to them. If you want to target only young women living in condos, you could never do that with traditional radio. Private-label Internet radio allows you to do this with laser-like precision."
Meanwhile, private-label Internet radio gives advertisers complete control over not just the content of their ads, but the programming paired with that content.
"A financial company could produce talk-radio programming that delivered not just financial news, but special coverage and promotion of that company's family of funds and services," says Josh Epstein, sales manager at Internet Broadcasting Group.
Internet Broadcasting Group can launch a new Internet radio station for just a few thousand dollars, while a federal license for a new traditional station costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Similarly, a new traditional radio station typically takes years to develop, but a new online radio station can be established in just a few weeks.»
A proposito destes textos, uma reflexão:
- a tecnologia digital veio mudar o conceito de rádio tal como a conhecemos; já se experimentaram as mais variadas definições e restam os elementos decisivos (que já nada têm a ver com a tecnologia): o som, a emissão única, a escuta passiva (que não se pode manipular). Isto é rádio. E a definição final
O que este texto nos diz é que chegámos ao momento da 'morte de definição'.
Substituída porquê? Ninguém se atraverá a uma nova definição (seja porque é uma incognita o que vai acontecer seja para não cair no erro de tantos).
«Major labels are now suing Project Playlist, a company that involves former MySpace executive Shawn Gold. The suit, filed in Manhattan District Court, alleges "massive infringement" and involves majors Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and EMI. Project Playlist (at playlist.com) allows users to assemble and distribute personalized playlists using content hosted across the internet.
Project Playlist does not host the content within the playlists - instead, it cobbles together content from the vast storehouse of user-stored material. That loosely resembles a model offered by Seeqpod, which allows users to search, stream and virtually assemble playlists using online-available content. Seeqpod is currently being sued by Warner Music Group. Project Playlist executives declined to comment on the suit.» Project Playlist Hauled Into Court; Majors Allege Massive Infringement Digital Music News, 28/04/08
«Project Playlist is free to users and shows advertising to pay the bills. It looks like other free streaming sites (like Last.fm, for instance) that offer similar functionality and ad-supported streaming, but in this case the labels don't see any cash. Project Playlist insists that it pays royalties to the three big US performing rights organizations, BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC. These groups represent songwriters and music publishers, but they don't cover the labels that own the copyrights in the actual sound recordings. While terrestrial radio in the US only has to pay songwriters in order to play music, other services like satellite radio and webcasters pay royalties to both groups.» (aqui)
«A Antena 3 reformulou o seu site, com vista a proporcionar uma melhor navegação e modernizar o seu layout. A grande novidade do novo site é a Antena 3 TV. «O vídeo é cada vez mais uma ferramenta que podemos utilizar para cativar mais público. E, tendo a música uma forte ligação com a imagem, estamos a tentar tirar partido do vídeo como forma de complementar a música», disse ao briefing José Mariño, director-adjunto da Antena 3. Outro grande objectivo do site da Antena 3 foi o de «sem assustar, disponibilizar todos os conteúdos da rádio de forma simples e dinâmica». O site tem, por exemplo, um espaço de destaque dedicado aos blogs internos que devem, em pouco tempo, «ser todos transferidos para o servidor da RTP», contou ao briefing José Mariño. No entanto, «ainda há muito para fazer», explica o director-adjunto da Antena 3. «Queremos, por exemplo, poder dar aos nossos ouvintes a possibilidade de através do site saberem, ao segundo, quais as músicas que estão a dar na nossa rádio, e quais já foram transmitidas. Actualmente não nos é possível fazer isso porque o nosso software de transmissão não é compatível com o do site. Mas estamos a planear para breve uma reformulação total do software e hardware da Antena 3 para poder melhorar o nosso serviço». CARO JOSÉ MARIÑO: não esquecer a possibilidade de criar perfis de ouvintes que levem à criação de comunidades online a partir por exemplo de interesses comuns (generos de musica, determinados grupos, etc), Novo site da Antena 3 aposta em vídeos e blogs Briefing, 2008/04/29 Marina Chiavegatto
«(...) by implementing social networking media, like personality websites, blogs, MySpace pages, and Facebook profiles, radio stations are reaching audience members with an unprecedented level of interactivity. A recent survey conducted by News Generation among the top-20 radio markets collected more information about which type of social media stations are using and the function they serve. (...) Among 36 stations surveyed, virtually every station reported that they use a webpage to provide extra publicity for the station and to stay connected to listeners. Websites appeal to the active listeners/users who visit the radio station site almost as often as they tune to its frequency. In order to satiate an ever-growing interactive appetite though, station websites must give their listeners more than what they can get on the air. Dana Hall from Radio-info.com states, “Social networking through your favorite station is one arena where broadcasters should be taking their websites.” Hall urges stations to go beyond their on-air format by offering web-only contests, expanded interviews with core artists, DJ blogs, systems for listeners to chat amongst themselves, and featured podcasts. By utilizing more interactive tools, a station website can help define and sustain a station’s brand. (...) almost half of the survey respondents utilize DJ blogs, and several offer links to a DJ’s MySpace page or Facebook profiles. Why throw listeners to external sources outside the station realm? Again, that’s where the audience is. MySpace currently services 110 million users and Facebook houses 59 million. These users post their favorite photos, contacts, videos and songs and so naturally, their favorite radio station and DJ fall right in line. »
fonte: Station Listener Turned Station User, by Megan Heffernan, News generation newsletter, Volume 11, Issue 1 Primavera 2008
(este é um texto de uma empresa que trabalha com e para a indústria de rádio nos EUA)
«Since broadcast radio’s beginning in the 1920s, there have always been naysayers. And, with every new technology that comes along, the critics predicted the end of the medium.
Television’s arrival brought dire predictions of the end of radio’s relevancy. Who after all would want to listen to radio when they could watch moving pictures? But radio adapted, maintained and even grew its audience. When cable and the Internet came along, media pundits again predicted radio’s demise, but radio adopted streaming online content, among other things, to extend its listening audience and brand. In addition, internet radio has grown to the point where it now claims 29 million listeners per week.
Now MP3 players have media analysts predicting that radio will surely falter. Again, radio is responding by providing things that listeners get best from radio, like local and breaking news, weather, traffic, and special listener programming. And by providing streaming and MP3 downloads, radio is embracing the very technology that was said to mean its downfall.
We often survey radio stations about their audience and programming and consistently find that stations, rather than running away from new technologies, are embracing them to extend their listening audience and provide another outlet for branding and promoting their programming. If any medium has demonstrated staying power, it is radio. As the cassette tape, walkman, discman, and other consumer mediums, have been ushered into the dustbin of technology’s yesteryear, radio has remained. And as television now begins the switch to a digital signal, radio likewise has increased its quality and accessibility through HD radio, satellite radio, streaming, podcasting, and a strong web presence. So tune in to radio and see what all the fuss is about – news, talk, music, weather, traffic, laughter and tears – all without those distracting moving pictures» (Radio Can't Be Stopped , Tuning In, News Generations, 25/04/08)