Rádio não tem CVC; resta o carro

«Radio is often relegated to a secondary media choice, and an alarming number of Bedroomers do not have (or rarely use) an AM/FM radio in their homes. In some of the interviews, radio is a nonfactor until the required trip to the car. For those who don’t have a radio in their primary dwelling, its role in their overall media/entertainment scheme is minimal. For everyone else, there is typically more enthusiasm about other entertainment choices and newer technologies. Radio’s lack of CVC (control, variety, and choice), combined with perceptions of excessive commercials and being “old school”—often drops its status among other media. As noted, most of the meaningful radio discussions in these interviews occurred when we visited the respondents’ vehicles. To that end, radio’s traditional listening locations are being threatened by new devices. Portability has been usurped by personal MP3 players, in-home radio listenership is overshadowed by myriad gadgets, and even in-car listening is being challenged by current and future MP3 connectivity.»

iPods dão CVC

«iPods® are everywhere and going strong. Just about everyone owns one (and, yes, Applebranded MP3 players are the most popular), and once again, these devices provide CVC— control, variety, and choice—without the commercials. Additionally, they also exude portability and aesthetic value. Most speak about their portable MP3 players passionately. For many, these devices have become their central source of music consumption. The iPod has not fully made its way into vehicles, but several are able to connect them in the cars they drive, while others look forward to the day when they are able to do so. Several own the iTrip, but the general consensus is that this device is substandard. Many look forward to having a direct connection in their next car or vehicle for their iPod. Interestingly, some own video iPods, but most of these respondents do not use them for viewing video»

Controlo, variedade e escolha (CVC em inglês)

«Social networking sites aside, for many, the Internet has become more utilitarian in usage and scope. Some say the Internet functions as the epicenter of online banking, interfacing with schools/jobs/careers, and performing various functions—such as photo sharing, product research, and shopping. Having said that, many rely more and more on news and entertainment sites, video streaming sites such as YouTube, and other resources where they can easily and instantly access content on demand. This integration of control, variety, and choice—or CVC—is an ongoing theme throughout The Bedroom Project interviews. These same attributes make video streaming attractive and popular. Some Bedroomers are regular visitors to TV-network Web sites where they can access programs and/or acquire information about favorite shows»

Os jovens e o telemóvel

«Of all the devices that Bedroomers discuss, the mobile phone emerges as the most revered, the most valued, and the most essential. Respondents were all prescreened for mobile phone ownership, and most use these devices with great frequency and passion. Clearly, they use their phones to do many functions beyond speaking to others, and in this context, texting often leads the way.

5. For most Bedroomers, the mobile phone is the Swiss Army knife of devices, serving simultaneously as a lifeline, fashion statement, photo album, and status symbol, that allows them to express their own unique personalities. Whether it’s the model of the phone itself, its color, customized phone cases, ringtones, wallpaper, or other attributes, the mobile phone is a device they’ve mastered. It also is a device that has cross-gender appeal. Down the road, they expect even more from mobile phone technology, and many are planning for their next device. There is acknowledgement that the future will be shaped by mobile phone improvements— greater portability, smaller size, and extensive integration. Many essentially describe the iPhone, before it came out. Video is also a desired future mobile phone feature, including improved cameras. And content creation is part of the mobile phone wave, as some respondents use these portable devices to interface with social networking sites.

6. Many are “cell phone only,” and these Bedroomers openly question why they need both a landline and mobile phone. While a number live in homes that have landlines, they are often quick to point out that these traditional phones are used by others in the household. Many associate landlines with their parents, and indicate they do not personally interact with these phones. Clearly, this cell-phone-only situation among this demographic, in particular, is a tough challenge for researchers. (More on this in the research section of this executive summary.)»

Jovens multifunções (multitasking)

«Bedroomers are immersed in media and technology. Most seem to be always connected to something, and they frequently multitask (some do so even while driving). While many aren’t tech-savvy per se, they acknowledge growing up with technology. Most revel in the wide array of media/technology choice and advancements available to them, and there’s a sense they’re living in truly interesting times».

«Bedroomers»

A proposito deste estudo, os autores chamam bedroomers aos jovens (18-28 anos):

«Additionally, interviewees were single, college students, young professionals, married, and married with children. Living situations included respondents in dormitories, students living off-campus, in apartments, homes, fraternity houses, and living with parents. We found that much of their time with technology was spent in their bedrooms, which not only gave us the name for this study—The Bedroom Project—but also the name “Bedroomers” for this generation»

Telemóveis e música digital (ainda cara), o novo tandem (Nokia)

«Depois da onda de optimismo gerada ontem com o anúncio do novo serviço da Nokia denominado “Nokia Comes With Music” que irá oferecer durante um ano downloads grátis da Universal Music a quem adquirir um novo telemóvel da fabricante finlandesa é altura de colocar mais água na fervura. É claro que já se sabia que a oferta iria incluir obrigatoriamente algum tipo de DRM, mesmo se os utilizadores tivessem a possibilidade de guardar a música depois da subscrição anual terminar. Mas segundo informa a Ars Technica, o sistema de DRM escolhido pela Nokia foi o PlaysForSure utilizado pela Microsoft no seu formato Windows Media. Ora, este sistema, para além de ser incompatível com o iPod da Apple, também não funciona com o Zune, o próprio leitor de música digital da Microsoft. E apesar das faixas poderem continuar a ser reproduzidas após o fim do prazo da assinatura anual, para ter acesso a mais música nova e renovar a subscrição, os consumidores terão que ser obrigados a comprar um novo aparelho… da Nokia, evidentemente. Quem também quiser gravar para um CD as músicas descarregadas terá que adquirir uma actualização para cada faixa. (...) Segundo a Nokia, o preço da subscrição será incluído no custo de venda do telemóvel. Isto é basicamente a primeira implementação na prática do modelo Total Music da Universal divulgado pela comunicação social no mês passado que iria supostamente permitir que os fabricantes de telemóveis e operadores de telecomunicações oferecessem serviços de downloads ilimitados juntamente com um novo dispositivo. Segundo o plano da editora, estas empresas teriam que pagar uma subscrição mensal de cerca de cinco dólares por mês por cada unidade comercializada. Esse valor poderia ser depois acrescentado ao custo final do aparelho ou cobrado à parte como uma espécie de tarifa plana. A nova oferta da Nokia confirma assim os piores receios na altura em que o plano da Universal foi anunciado: A música grátis, afinal, sai cara, muito cara. No caso do “Comes With Music” é o preço de um novo telemóvel. Por essas e por outras é que eu não uso telemóveis. Todo o hardware e software dos dispositivos está feito para controlar os usos do consumidor. Trata-se de uma autêntica “caixa negra” que limita a liberdade do utilizador e em que quase tudo é a pagar ou implica uma contrapartida oculta.

fonte: «O Nokia vem com DRM», 5/12/07 Rexmitures

2008, um ano a cair nas receitas

«Beaten down by the market for yet another year, radio companies appear poised to face more of the same in 2008, with projections typically calling for minuscule to nonexistent growth in advertising revenue and increased competition for listeners as a foregone conclusion.The current year certainly looks poised to go down as another difficult period for the industry, with total advertising revenue down 2% year over year through three quarters, according to figures released by the Radio Advertising Bureau Dec. 3, data that also showed revenue figures sagging further in the latter portion of the year, with third-quarter revenue down 5% year over year. (...) Wachovia Equity analyst Marci Ryvicker, for instance, recently said she now views radio as a "no growth medium" and puts zero percent growth as a likely, and potentially a "best case scenario" for 2008.  (...) Ryvicker noted three major trends that will conspire to hold radio revenues down in 2008 and beyond: the flight of ad dollars to new media, the generally depressed state of the economy and a slowdown in overall ad expenditures.»

fonte: MarketWeek: Radio revenues to get 'down' in 2008, SNL Interactive December 14, 2007 1:12 PM ET By Dave Hendrick

Jovens europeus já preferem internet à televisão (e reduzem consumo de outros meios)

«Os europeus já preferem a Internet à televisão. De acordo com um estudo de preferências dos media, realizado pela Associação Europeia de Publicidade Interactiva (EIAA, na sigla em inglês), os jovens, principalmente, passam mais tempo na Internet do que em frente à televisão. Esta é a primeira vez que a televisão fica relegada ao segundo lugar no estudo, realizado anualmente desde 2003. Realizado com mais de sete mil pessoas, em dez países europeus, o estudo mostra que os jovens entre 16 e 24 anos agora passam dez por cento a mais do tempo ligados à Internet do que em frente à televisão. O estudo revela ainda que 96 por cento dos inquiridos reduziram a utilização de outros meios de comunicação por causa da Internet, tendo sido a televisão a mais prejudicada: 40 por cento dos europeus vêem menos televisão e 28 por cento lêem menos jornais. Por outro lado, o estudo indica que a televisão online se está a tornar mais popular, tendo aumentado o visionamento de filmes e telediscos online, pelo menos uma vez por mês, em 150 por cento desde 2006. A isto se deve também a expansão da banda larga: 81 por cento de todos os utilizadores de Internet já usam este tipo de conexão. Actualmente, 57 por cento dos europeus acedem a Internet regularmente, por semana; o equivalente a 169 milhões de pessoas, um aumento de seis por cento em relação ao ano anterior. Desde 2006, o número de pessoas com mais de 55 anos que utilizam a rede aumentou em 12 por cento e o de mulheres subiu oito por cento.Também a frequência com que os europeus acedem à rede aumentou: 75 por cento dos utilizadores de Internet ligam-se à web entre cinco e sete dias por semana, um aumento de 61 por cento em comparação com 2004.»

fonte: «Europeus já preferem Internet à televisão, cienciapt, 12/12/07

Criar conteúdos para os telemóveis

« (...) almost everyone has a cell phone whether they can afford it or not.
I strongly believe that the mobile device will be the delivery system for content -- someday for music when the copyright issues are worked out -- and just about everything else from short videos to movies.
If I'm reading it right this a wonderful opportunity for record labels to satisfy the desire of the next generation to access more variety. Now, can they work out the remaining DRM issues and be the solution for this generation's boredom with their iPods?
Radio companies have an opportunity to create content for mobile devices. I know it's a bitter pill to swallow after spending billions of dollars to own terrestrial radio stations but the Internet is the new transmitter and the cell phone is the new receiver.
This generation is definitely not bored with their cell phones. They are attached to them permanently. I kid my USC students that someday when a new baby is born there will be an obstetrician and pediatrician, the parents, a psychologist and a lawyer to no doubt handle their RIAA lawsuits when they get older. I also say that I can see the day when a chip will be implanted in every new baby's head so they can receive signals, hear music and be on the GPS of life.
I'm kidding. I think.
They're not sure either.
One thing is for sure -- something is going on worth further study. The iPod is getting long in the tooth. It's still better than a radio to most but it's clearly not going to be enough to command the restless Gen Y.
It's too early to jump to conclusions, but times they are a changin' in the mobile space.
For the beleaguered radio and record industries -- it means opportunity if they will listen with an open mind.
If not, Steve Jobs will continue to satisfy their need for new content.
Which way do you want it?»
fonte «The iPod Is Vulnerable», Jerry del coliano, Inside Music Media, 18/12/07

A fadiga do iPod ?

«The young people I have been working with and studying the past four years voluntarily remind me that they have iPod fatigue.
I have written about this before but I keep hearing it -- and the term iPod fatigue is theirs not mine.
There is no doubt in my mind that you'd have to amputate their arms to pry an iPod away from this generation, but I've been thinking about iPod fatigue a lot lately. It seems to me that what these young people are saying is -- entertain me where I live.
They are not particularly addressing the terrestrial radio industry. Outside of NPR and some catch-as-catch-can listening this generation isn't looking to radio for help.
But they are plainly tired of hearing the same songs over and over again. It's like they all turned into Steve Rivers (just kidding, Steve!). You know, many of their iPods have a limited play list smaller than Steve. The fact is iPods aren't loaded with lots of music like radio station computers.
Another factor may be that as the years go on Gen Y is spending more time with their cell phones and smart devices. It's not unusual to see college students carrying around Blackberry Pearls. Of course, not every young person is blessed with a chance to go to college and many other young people can't afford an iPod. (...)»

fonte «The iPod Is Vulnerable», Jerry del coliano, Inside Music Media, 18/12/07

UM estudo da Jacobs Media não diz isso: «"iPods are showing no signs of stopping," according to Fred Jacobs, President of Jacobs Media. "Last year, our data showed that the growth of personal mp3 players was far from over. This year, our new study confirms that this phenomenon continues to have lots of life, and we expect strong growth throughout ’07."»

A erosão não vai parar (Mark Ramsey)

«The erosion we're currently seeing in radio usage - especially among the young - is not a hiccup. It is part of a long-term trend we are only beginning to experience. The more we face competitive alternatives which substitute for radio's core benefits, the more this trend will accelerate»

Música num LAD: quatro em um

«There are essentially four ways to put music onto a portable player: rip it from a CD or other storage media, download it from the Internet, get it streamed from the Internet or receive it by satellite. The new Stiletto 2 from Sirius Satellite Radio does all four, using one device. It’s a satellite receiver, a Wi-Fi receiver for both streaming and recording from the Internet, and an MP3 player that can accept music files copied from a hard drive. Sirius has expanded from its satellite service and now streams most of its 130 channels with its Internet radio service. The Stiletto 2, which sells for $330 with a monthly subscription of $13 a month, provides the satellite channels as well as Internet radio when in range of a Wi-Fi hot spot, or plays downloaded files. The files can include those from music services like Rhapsody or Yahoo Music.» fonte: «A Versatile Portable Player Can Carry a Tune From a Satellite, the Internet or a Hard Drive», NYT, 3/01/07, stephen Miller

O que fará a rádio de música quando todos os carros tiverem iPod?

«"Music radio is going to be in trouble (...) In five years when every car has an iPod connection and you can listen to anything you want, what is music radio going to do?" (diz o animador de espaços de rádio e colaborador da Fox News host Sean Hannity (no Arbitron's consultant fly-in)

Audiências começam a preocupar-se com 18-24 anos

«Arbitron’s Pierre Bouvard says there’s been big progress among 18-24s, and they plan to begin applying those lessons and techniques to 25-34s. Their plan will go into motion next month, when Arbitron’s internal software systems will begin working to increase sampling rates and incentives paid to panelists in the demo. Bouvard predicts Philadelphia and New York will “start to see some growth” by the end of the first quarter» fonte: «"25-34 is going to be our focus."», Inside Radio, 4/1/08

62 por cento dos jovens EUA usam telemóvel para diversão

«NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - About 38 percent of U.S. consumers are watching TV shows online, 36 percent use their cell phones as entertainment devices and 45 percent are creating online content like Web sites, music, videos and blogs for others, according to a new-media survey from Deloitte & Touche. The findings of the online survey of 2,081 Americans, conducted October 25-31, were provided to The Hollywood Reporter before their official release next month. The "State of the Media Democracy" notes that in Deloitte's first edition of the survey just eight months earlier, 24 percent of consumers used their cell phones as entertainment devices, meaning that usage has soared 50 percent.

About 62 percent of "millennials" (consumers 13-to-24-years-old) are using their cell phones as entertainment devices, up from 46 percent in the previous study conducted February 23-March 6, 2007. And among Generation X consumers (25-to-41-year-olds), the number grew to 47 percent from 29 percent in the earlier survey.

About 20 percent of consumers said they are viewing video content on their cell phones daily or almost daily. The percentage of consumers watching TV online jumped from the 23 percent figure reported in the previous study. Roughly 54 percent of those surveyed said they are making their own entertainment content through editing photos, videos or music, 45 percent said they are producing that content for others to see, and 32 percent said they consider themselves to be "broadcasters" of their own media. "I think for advertisers one of the conclusions is you don't make decisions to advertise either on television or the Internet when you want to hit all the demographics, but rather you need to have a multiplatform strategy," said Ken August, vice chairman and national sector leader for Deloitte & Touche's media and entertainment practice, which commissioned the study. "It shouldn't be an either or proposition."»

fonte: «Americans more wired: survey» Reuters, Gail Schiller Fri Dec 28, 2007

Telemóveis e redes sociais

«(...) Given the popularity of mobile phones and social networking among teens, it is not a giant leap to expect them to use the two technologies together. Early data suggest that is the next step. "Mobile social networking is predominantly a young consumer’s game," said John du Pre Gauntt, senior analyst at eMarketer. He cited a June 2007 M:Metrics study that found that users under 25 were the most active on mobile social networks, accessing sites daily or several times a week. "The next question is whether early adopters gather at mobile-only social networking destinations or if they are extending their existing social networking relationships to mobile," Gauntt said. "Here, the evidence is well in favor of the latter."» fonte: Teens Primed for Mobile Social Networks, eMarketeer, JANUARY 3, 2008

«Social networking is an activity that 37% of US adult Internet users and 70% of online teens engage in every month, and the numbers continue to grow. eMarketer projects that by 2011, one-half of online adults and 84% of online teens in the US will use social networking»

Uma palavra de 2007, widgets

«This year saw the emergence of a new buzzword in the digital music space -- widgets. Next year, we'll see if they do any good.

An offshoot of the global social networking trend, widgets are small applications that users can place into their blogs, profiles and Web sites, and thereby extend the functionality of an otherwise separate Web site or service. What's more, users can simply copy widgets found on friends' profiles and insert them onto their own, thus enabling a tremendously viral distribution opportunity.

The concept gained prominence in 2007, picking up momentum once Facebook opened its platform so that any developer could write an application using its user data and connections. Then Google upped the ante with its OpenSocial initiative, a standardized widget-development tool that would allow developers to write one application that can work with any social networking site adopting the technology -- which include MySpace and Bebo. ComScore, a leading Web traffic monitoring firm, even began a metrics service tracking the most popular widgets and their usage.

These widgets have opened the door to a whole new style of selling content and services online, called "distributed commerce." Simply put, rather than making customers navigate to a specific site to buy a concert ticket or a music download, widgets allow bands and their fans to sell the same from their own Web sites. If iTunes is the Wal-Mart of music, widgets are more like vending machines.»

WiMax chega a Espanha

«The WiMax Forum said its lead certification lab is open for formal Mobile WiMax certification testing and evaluation of Mobile WiMax products.
The organization called this a step to bringing service providers closer to offering mobile broadband Internet to consumers.
That means vendors can begin submitting 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz Mobile WiMax equipment for testing.
The lab is at AT4 Wireless in Spain; four other labs are planned in the United States, Taiwan, China and Korea.
“With today’s announcement, certified Mobile WiMax products are projected to reach the commercial market in early 2008. The WiMax Forum expects hundreds of products to be submitted for testing,” it stated, calling the announcement an important milestone, particularly “relative to alternative mobile broadband technologies such as LTE which are several years behind WiMax technology.”
The Forum says 300 operators in 65 countries have deployed Mobile WiMax pilots and trials».

A melhor prenda do Natal... (como voltar a ouvir o Pandora, mas...)

Não sei quanto tempo vai durar, mas aqui fica o endereço:

https://www.pandora.com/radio/tuner_8_2_0_1_pandora.swf

Devo dizer que o serviço é fraco: lento, com paragens

OUTRA HIPOTESE:

«The usual method to access Pandora is to use a proxy that is located in the United States so that Pandora believes that you are from there to. A far better solution was posted in the comments of this blog yesterday. Global Pandora offers the Pandora interface on a independent website that requires no registration. Just enter a song or artist and a radio station will be build and you can listen to it. All without using a proxy, hiding your real IP or registration.»

(http://www.ghacks.net/2008/01/12/access-pandora-without-a-proxy/)

AINDA MAIS: «How to: access Pandora from outside the US»

OU «Well, here’s the good alternative to all non-US residents. The box is open! You can now listen to your favorite songs through GlobalPandora.»

REACÇÃO: «Westergren also noted that Pandora “must abide by the many copyright laws around the world – that includes making commercially reasonable efforts to prevent unauthorized use of Pandora.” He said that Pandora would not be able to support applications like globalPandora, and in fact “must periodically actively break them when we can.”  “I sure hope the record labels wise up soon,” Westergren closed. “[T]heir strategy (if there actually is one) is disastrous for artists.” Being in the U.S., we aren’t able to test the effectiveness of this work-around ourselves. However it does appear that, at least for the time being, international listeners have their Pandora back.»

OU: «Since Pandora started blocking users outside US some solutions where proposed, but only one made to the top - Tor.
Tor can help you anonymize web browsing, by bouncing communication around a distributed network of servers called onion routers.
This is nice, but how this helps?
If the communication is bounced over network of servers and the last server that forwards communication located in US, Pandora will think that the user himself is located in US and will not block him.» (aqui)