4.1 No carro

Escuta de rádio nos EUA a cair; on line a subir; carro ameaçado

«U.S. radio’s ratings weakness continues, with fall numbers down 1.3%. Commenting recently on the latest Arbitron ratings, JP Morgan analysts John Blackledge and Aaron Chew noted that radio’s “average quarter hour persons 25–54” has dropped in 25 of the past 29 books and was up only once in six years. Reviewing fall numbers, they said in-car ratings in this demographic were flat; and with increasing use of mobile technologies and penetration of satellite radio and MP3 devices, “in-car ratings will face greater challenges going forward.”

In the Fall 2006 ratings book, AQH P25-54 ratings at home declined about 4%, while ratings at work were flat, the analysts said. Those ratings at home and at work have declined 2.8% and 2.6%, respectively, annually since 1998 “due to more media choices available for listeners at home and at work.” But Internet radio’s unique visitors are up about 22% year over year, and terrestrial radio operators represented about 37% of unique visitors among key Internet radio operators, up from a 26.3% share a year earlier. The analysts think terrestrial radio’s online investments are “starting to take hold” and said increases in unique visitors over the past year are well above the growth of non-broadcast Internet radio operators. “With the addition of rich content and Web streaming functionality to their Web sites, the operators are attracting more users, driving advertising revenue.” »

fonte: «Radio's Ratings Continue to Fall, While Online Visits Bubble, Radio World, 16/03/07

A escuta wireless

«(...)

Major hurdles still exist. For instance, despite the industry's huge technological advances, it is still essentially music played through a computer. While companies like AOL, Yahoo and others have been successful at targeting the so-called at-work audience, the industry has yet to encroach on the radio's traditional sweet spot: the car. If mass wireless Internet access emerges in major cities across the country, it could be a watershed moment for the industry. Portable Internet radio would be available via everything from cellphones to dashboards, attracting more advertisers. As it stands, the advertising industry for Web radio is estimated to be roughly $500-million (U.S.) for North America, but at least 80 per cent of that comes from ads on websites of AM and FM stations. Commercial revenue from music streaming makes up less than one-fifth of that amount. The biggest hurdle of all could be the looming battle over royalties. "The end-game is that unless the royalties change, webcasting is pretty much done in the U.S. Kaput," Mr. Cuban said. "That's a shame because streaming music to the office is a better opportunity than video. People can -- and will -- listen to music at work." (...) The music industry may be forced to develop a global system of compensation, Mr. Kennedy said. "I think in 10 years, Pandora will be listened to in the car, while you're jogging . . . and wherever else people listen to music," he said. "And that will be following the growth of wireless broadband to ubiquitous form."»

fonte: «Everyone's on the same wavelength now», GRANT ROBERTSON, 10/03/07, Globe and Mail Update

O primeiro telefone com modulador de FM para o carro

«LG Electronics and Sprint have just released a new phone, the Fusic, that not only streams channels from Music Choice (if you pay the freight) and downloads music (like many other phones do), but it is the first phone to include an iPod-style FM transmitter. To make that clear, it doesn't mean you can listen to radio on your phone, it means you can listen to whatever you stream on your phone on your radio. This will unquestionably be the first of many mobile devices that mask whatever's on the radio in favor of whatever's on the phone. And in case you're thinking "yes, but folks have to buy a Music Choice subscription," remember that in the world of mobile phones consumers are very accustomed to paying for useful supplemental services. And the ability to broadcast your own personal station to the radio in your car just increased the value of the Music Choice service. That said, I am certain consumers are much more likely to broadcast their own mp3's than the content of any third party streaming service. But still, anything that replaces what's on the radio is a radio substitute - especially if you use a radio to hear it. Ironically, this phone just increased the value of the good old-fashioned car radio. As long as you can play what you want on it.» (MarK Ramsey diz que estes aparelhos valorizam o velho rádio do carro mas não para ouvir a rádio...)

fonte: Hear2.0, «What happens when cell phones can hijack your radio?», 11/03/07

escuta em casa ou no carro - algo que parece um pouco estranho

Isto abaixo significa que ouvimos rádio 6 horas no trabalho, duas horas e 19m em casa e menos duas horas no carro?

Isto não é contarditório com o que a Marktest disse a semana passada («A observação transversal dos vários períodos, mostra que a casa enquanto local de escuta tem uma curva notoriamente descencente em qualquer momento do dia e, por contraposição, o carro tem uma curva notoriamente ascendente mesmo fora dos períodos normais de deslocação. Ainda segundo este estudo, a perda de escuta em casa é claramente compensada quer pela transferência para o automóvel, quer pela tendência crescente da escuta no local de trabalho»)?

«Detalhando um pouco a abordagem, vejamos agora como se processa a evolução do tempo médio diário de audiência por local de escuta:

Atendendo a que o carro é o local onde mais indivíduos ouvem rádio hoje em dia, é particularmente relevante que o tempo médio setenha mantido próximo das 2h diárias ao longo destes 10 anos abordados. Por outro lado, o local de trabalho apresenta uma tendência de subida, reforçando valores já elevados, enquanto que em casa a ligeira descida verificada é bem menos significativa do que outros aspectos, nomeadamente o peso deste local no total da escuta de rádio, já abordado no artigo anterior.»

fonte: «4,7 milhões de Portugueses ouvem mais de 3 horas de rádio todos os dias», Marktest.com, 13/03/07

«Portugueses ouvem cada vez mais rádio no carro»

«A rádio em Portugal tem vindo a cimentar as suas potencialidades e a registar uma tendência de aumento do consumo no carro, segundo os dados do Bareme Rádio da Marktest. O estudo permitiu concluir que o consumo de rádio está cada vez mais «colado» aos ritmos de deslocação diária das populações, ganhando por isso a escuta no automóvel uma importância cada vez mais evidente. Consequentemente, refere o estudo, assiste-se à concentração da escuta em dois períodos do dia - entre as 08:00 e as 10:00 da manhã e entre as 17:00 e as 20:00 da tarde - períodos normais de deslocação casa/trabalho e vice-versa. A observação transversal dos vários períodos, mostra que a casa enquanto local de escuta tem uma curva notoriamente descencente em qualquer momento do dia e, por contraposição, o carro tem uma curva notoriamente ascendente mesmo fora dos períodos normais de deslocação. Ainda segundo este estudo, a perda de escuta em casa é claramente compensada quer pela transferência para o automóvel, quer pela tendência crescente da escuta no local de trabalho. Entre 1997 e 2006 o consumo de rádio em casa decaiu cerca de 39%, enquanto que a escuta de rádio no carro subiu, no mesmo período, 65%. O automóvel é desde 2005 o local onde mais portugueses ouvem rádio. Ou seja, a primeira evidência é a de que a rádio tem deixado progressivamente o lar e passado para o automóvel. »

fonte: Portugueses ouvem cada vez mais rádio no carro 07-03-2007 13:40:24

O texto da marktest

 

O consumo de rádio no carro (EUA)

«(...)says Automotive Analyst, Clare Hughes. “According to our consumer research, US car buyers listen to radio nearly 60 percent of their audio entertainment time. There are around 160 million consumer vehicles on the road in the US, but only 14 Million satellite radio subscribers in total.”»

fonte: «STRATEGY ANALYTICS: XM Sirius Merger Boosts Automotive Radio Adoption», 1/03/07

Audiolivros: «quem precisa da rádio?»

«My family has grown so accustomed to listening to our MP3 players, either as a family or individually, when we get in the car, we rarely turn on the radio. Heck, even the CD player is getting only occasional use (none at all from me, actually). Seems that Sanjay from The Simply Audio blog is having the same experience. An excerpt from the post:

Out of sheer boredom I started looking at my instrument panel, and lo and behold, there’s a radio! I never noticed it before. Both FM AND AM! I bet I paid extra for that. I remember something called talk radio, so I dialed in to the top station on the AM dial (I mean touchscreen pushbutton thingy, not dial) and started happily listening to newsradio. But I must have done something wrong because the sound quality was really bad and I swear they kept repeating the same news stories over and over.»

fonte: «Who needs the radio?»

Sobre a plataforma Sync

«A Ford uniu forças com a Microsoft, líder do setor de informática, para desenvolver o "Sync", sistema para conectar aos carros diversos aparelhos eletrônicos. "Nós precisamos inserir o carro dentro dessa equação, mas de um jeito simples e seguro", disse Gates, via satélite. O "Sync", que inclui tecnologia sem fio Bluetooth, é desenhado para permitir comunicação telefônica móvel sem uso das mãos e transferência de informações sem fio dentro do carro, incluindo e-mail e download de músicas. (...) Mark Fields, presidente da Ford para o continente americano, revelou que a tecnologia "Sync" estará com certeza disponível em carros ainda este ano. "O potencial do mercado (para o "Sync") é incrível", afirmou Fields.»

«Mark Fields, presidente da Ford para as Americas, anunciou que a tecnologia estará disponível ainda este ano em 12 veículos da empresa, incluindo modelos mais baratos, como o Focus. "O potencial do mercado é absolutamente enorme, antecipou Fields. Inicialmente, o Sync estará disponível em inglês, espanhol e francês. O motorista poderá telefonar para seus contatos apenas ditanto seus nomes, ou dizer o nome de uma música para ouví-la. O sistema será compatível com os tocadores Zune, da própria Microsoft, e iPod, da Apple. A tecnologia terá a capacidade de ler, em voz alta, mensagens de texto recebidas no telefone celular, incluindo a "tradução" de expressões comuns em SMS. "O Sync ajudará a revolucionar a experiência do motorista ao prover um sistema simples que conecta, de forma inteligente, telefones celulares, tocadores de música e outros aparelhos", declarou Gates.»

 

Más perspectivas para o futuro da rádio/carro (outra previsão)

«[Banc of America securities analyst Jonathan] Jacoby found that “many new devices/systems are making it easier to use your cell phone and MP3 player while you drive. Several products on display integrate the iPod and cell phone into the car. Our negative outlook for terrestrial radio are based largely on our view that radio’s in-car listening base will be eroded by compelling alternatives. Ford and Microsoft have developed a hands-free wireless system called Sync that enables any USB media player to connect and play through the car stereo and be controlled by voice commands. We note that Sync includes a feature that allows you to play music similar to a selected track based on your mood. More advanced music identification technology is making it easier to build/rearrange playlists – responding to the oft-cited criticism of the iPod era that playlists are static and become stale.”

Este analista acha, contudo, que «On the plus side for terrestrial radio, the supply of HD Radio units seems to be building(...) Many units are now available for less than $200, a price barrier considered critical in driving consumer adoption.”

fonte: «Jacoby From Vegas With Good News/Bad News For Terrestrial Radio», Radio Ink, 11/01/07

O negócio da recepção audio nos carros (estudo)

«Along with traditional forms of audio, such as terrestrial analog radio and CD playback, today's automakers are incorporating satellite radio, digital terrestrial radio (otherwise known as HD radio in the US), and portable MP3 player support into newer vehicles, as either factory-installed or aftermarket options.
 As the automobile market matures, automakers are seeking ways to differentiate themselves from the competition. The large installed base of portable media players represents an opportunity for automakers to build in-dash connectivity. Other forms of in-vehicle entertainment, such as satellite radio and multichannel audio, will also be compelling features to offer.
 Automotive manufacturers, portable media player manufacturers, and suppliers to each of these industries will benefit from this report because it seeks to understand the different types of digital audio found in today's cars.»

fonte: «Digital Audio in the Automobile», Outubro 2006, In-Stat

Mais um exemplo de convergência e conectividade no carro

«Currently at hdradio.com, there are just over 600 stations currently listed. Although they are all FM stations at this point, I was assured that this would work for AM as well, which would make listening to sports on the radio (which are usually broadcast on an AM station) much more dynamic to listen to. And yes, after going to hddice.com (they make HD Radio for cars) and checking out the listings there for my state, there were indeed AM radio stations on their list. Of the remaining 12,500 or so radio stations in the US, 3000 are committed to converting to HD Radio, so if the stations where you are haven't converted yet, there's a good chance they will soon. So is it worth it? Well, if you're buying a BMW, Mini Cooper,  Toyota, Lexus, or Scion, you can just get one from Dice Electronics installed from the factory (the major American car makers haven't hopped on board just yet). And the Dice models also come with an iPod interface, so you can have AM, FM, HD, and your own personal music collection all available through a single in-dash unit. The average home unit appears to be running around $300 right now.»

fonte: «The Next Gen In Radio», AUdrey's blog, 7/01/07

A rádio ainda não perdeu a luta pelo domínio no carro

«As expected, XM will be displaying their pimped-out show vehicle at CES 2007, that will be packed to the gills with current and concept systems from XM's arsenal. This year the concept vehicle is called the XM "Infotainment" Vehicle, which is only a slight improvement to last year's super-sexy XM Advanced Services Vehicle namesake. Forgetting the name though, it's the vehicle that is drool inducing. The "Infotainment" vehicle will of course be packed with XM's new personal weather tracking system, which is just an incredible innovation. The vehicle will also showcase a variety of information and entertainment services (get it?) that XM has the ability to deliver to the automobile. And yes, for yet another year, we will be graced with yet another glimpse at the in-car video system developed by XM and On2 Technologies that can receive both video and audio from XM's current infrastructure. But beyond video, thankfully, the XM show vehicle is expected to be packed with other technological goodies. Goodies like XM's conversational voice-recognition software developed in conjunction with VoiceBox Technologies (view video here). The voice-command technology will not only include controls for the radio, but also for weather, traffic, stock quotes, and sports scores. Also as part of the "Infotainment" vehicle will be the XM ParkingLink, a parking-spot locater integrated into your GPS navigation system. XM ParkingLink will hopefully be offered to the general public in the second half of this year. The XM "infotainment" vehicle will be on display at the XM booth (CES Booth #4606) in the Las Vegas Convention Center's North Hall. Can't wait to see it.»

fonte: Orbicast, «CES 2007 Preview: XM's "Infotainment" Vehicle», 3/01/07

O mp3 está a mudar os hábitos no carro

«Car audio systems are almost ubiquitous in Europe. So vehicle suppliers and manufacturers are looking to digital radio, satellite radio, Bluetooth and other alternatives as revenue generators. That’s the conclusion of consulting company Frost and Sullivan, which said car systems are close to becoming a “standard, saturated product offering.” The company said OEMs must “strike the right balance between offering sophisticated features while ensuring cost-effectiveness.” It said the car audio systems market in Europe pulled in 1.49 billion Euros in 2005 and will reach 2.37 billion by 2014 thanks in large part to “explosive” growth of MP3 head units. “Consumers increasingly want to use the MP3s they burn at home inside their cars,” stated a company official in the announcement. “MP3s are also available, physically separate from the CD, from many other sources. These factors are driving the demand for OE audio systems to offer MP3 playback capabilities — a trend that is promoting future market growth.” He said carmakers are challenged because the typical time for construction of a vehicle is three to five years, while the typical lifetime for a consumer electronics standard is about a year and a half.»

fonte: RWOnline, «Digital Media Will Push Growth in a Stagnant Euro Car Audio Market», 28/12/06 

Moduladores FM continuam a ser contestados

Aperta-se o cerco - de consequências imprevisiveis nesta altura - aos moduladores de FM que usam o sistema wireless para retransmitir leitores digitais de áudio:

«The Consumer Electronics Association is encouraging members to comply with FCC regulations concerning FM modulators. RW Online has reported that NPR is watching to see the impact of efforts by satellite radio companies, receiver manufacturers and the FCC after the holidays as consumers purchase new products. The commission began an informal inquiry into wireless modulators to confirm compliance with its regulations. NPR and NAB had submitted engineering studies showing that some FM modulated products were emitting too much power and interfering with some terrestrial FM stations. CEA has been in contact with the FCC on the issue; and XM and Sirius had some of their products re-tested, re-certified and approved for sale. In its daily newsletter CEA Smartbrief, the trade group encourages members that manufacture FM modulators to “ensure that they are compliant with FCC regulations, and to ensure that the devices are compliant with the products’ original FCC certifications.”»

fonte: RWOnline, «CEA Encourages Members to Comply on FM Modulators», 28/12/06

Satélite é standard nos carros da Ford

« Ford says it will be the first major auto maker in Canada to include satellite radio as standard equipment on its new vehicles. The company announced yesterday it will install Sirius Satellite Radio receivers in almost all Ford and Lincoln cars and trucks by the end of next year. The radios will come with a six-month trial subscription to Sirius's 110 channels, which regularly costs $15 a month. DaimlerChrysler offers Sirius radios as a factory-installed option or standard feature in most of its new vehicles. General Motors offers XM radios from Sirius's rival, Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., as an option or a standard feature.»

fonte: «Ford will make satellite radio standard feature», 19/12/06, The Star

Moduladores de FM (para LAD) em causa

Os adaptadores dos leitores de audio digital que utilizam o FM para se ouvirem nos carros estão em causa por uma denuncia da NPR que os acusa de prejudicar as suas emissões:

«The drama surrounding short-range, device-based FM transmitters is entering a new chapter, thanks to a recent complaint from National Public Radio. Bigger, commercialized radio stations are often higher on the dial, while public radio stations usually grab lower frequencies. That is the same range tapped by device-based transmitters, which broadcast across lower, unused frequencies. The technology is found within satellite radio receivers and other devices, and companies like Griffin Technology manufacture iPod add-ons that accomplish the same task. Now, the question is whether the transmitters are interfering with NPR broadcasts, and if so, what should be done about it. The public radio consortium has argued that a problem exists, and recently urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to re-examine the matter. Earlier, the FCC subjected both XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio to a rigorous compliance process, resulting in numerous manufacturing holdups. According to National Public Radio chief executive Ken Stern, that process has not solved the issue of over-powered transmissions, and an "unchecked, growing problem" remains. Meanwhile, users of the technology can easily become frustrated by heavy interference, especially in more crowded urban areas.»

fonte: Digital Music News, «NPR Rattles Over Device-Based FM Transmitters», 7/12/06

UM painel altamente sofisticado

Longe vão os tempos em que só havia o rádio e o leitor de cassetes...

«Vehicle dashboards are becoming increasingly sophisticated and entertainment-focused. Music fans began amassing digital music collections long ago, and now automobile manufacturers are warming to the trend. The latest example comes from Chrysler, which is stuffing music options into its upcoming 2008 Sebring Convertible. The car, which enters production during the first quarter of 2007, will roll with a 20GB hard drive, a music jukebox interface, and a USB port for transferring assets like MP3s and JPEGs. An immense selection of in-dash digital songs raises some safety concerns, though drivers are already dancing dangerously with toys like mobile phones, iPods, DVD players, and even navigation systems. Organizing the chaos in the Sebring will be Gracenote, which offers song identification and categorization by composer, artist and title. Chrysler also pointed to playlist-creation capabilities, and extras like Sirius Satellite Radio. Meanwhile, the jukebox is displayed on a 6.5-inch screen, which can also play movies and video clips. Other aspects include voice memo recording capabilities, and Bluetooth support.»

O iPod no carro

«70% of 2007's U.S. car models will have built-in iPod connectors»

«the biggest challenge for all of the satellite broadcasters is only now emerging: Apple Computer’s iPod appears to be disrupting the broadcast business. Back when satellite radio systems were, literally, on the launching pad, the iPod did not exist and the main competition was conventional commercial-cluttered radio.

Now more than 67 million iPods have been sold and Apple has generated more than US$1.5-billion in revenue from downloaded songs. Analysts expect Apple to sell between 16-20 million more iPods in the current quarter alone, dwarfing the total satellite audience of 12 million, built up over the past five years.

Another important indicator is Apple’s new lineup of friends: Some 70% of next year’s U.S. car models will have built-in iPod connectors. And earlier this month, six major airlines announced they too would install iPod connectors and chargers at every passenger seat.

Conventional radio broadcasters, already in decline for several years, are showing signs of further weakness attributed to the iPod, with young U.S. adult audiences down 13-15% since 1999 according to Arbitron. Some stations are closing, some are being sold and some are changing their tune to mimic the "iPod shuffle" by playing a more random selection of music of different genres.

Given their high debt, high capital expenses and lack of profitability, satellite broadcasters would seem to be in an especially risky spot. A string of satellite industry bankruptcies including Iridium, ICO Global Communications, Motient and Telesat Mobile following a boom in the 1990s highlights the risk.»

fonte: «Urlocker: How Satellite Radio Can Survive the Age of the iPod», Michael Urlocker, Financial Post, Published: Sunday, November 26, 2006

GB liberaliza uso de transmissores FM para LAD

A partir do proximo mês já será legal na GB usar adaptadores de FM no carro para ligar os LAD (iPod e outros).

«Ofcom today announced that the use of certain low power FM transmitters, which wirelessly connect MP3 players and other personal audio devices to radios and in-car entertainment systems, will be legal for use in the UK from 8 December 2006.

Equipment previously available carries a high risk of interference to other broadcast services. However, in response to consumer demand Ofcom has led negotiations in Europe to develop a harmonised technical approach designed to limit the potential of interference to other wireless devices.»

fonte: «Change to the law to allow the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players», Ofcom, 23/11/06

Um bom exemplo de como as rádios podem valorizar conteúdos

«WCBS-AM/New York is unveiling a new mobile phone service, teaming with 3rd Dimension Inc. to give New York, New Jersey and Connecticut drivers the ability to watch for traffic on their phones. The WCBS "Video Cellmate" works with most cell phones and PDAs, allowing users to tap into over 400 traffic cameras in the tri-state area and view road conditions.

"The WCBS Video Cellmate is an exciting addition to our traffic reports, which are the most comprehensive in the Tri-State," said WCBS PD Crys Quimby. "Seeing your route live on your cell phone is a natural extension to logging on to WCBS880.com for traffic updates before you hit the road and listening to WCBS traffic reports on the radio when you get in your car."»

fonte: FMQB, WCBS-AM Launches Traffic Camera Access On Cell Phones, 20/11/06