notes
Sunday, 12 January 2003digital radio in the US
Stations gamble on satellite radio. Digital satellite radio may be enough to persuade Americans to stay tuned to their sets instead of turning to the internet.
Providers like XM higlighted in this piece retain radio's mobility and 'add value' for the listener.
"The digital radio service will offer features like the ability to buy the CD of the track currently being played on the radio by simply pressing a buy button on the set. A visual display on the receiver will also tell you what track is playing and other kinds of information like the weather, traffic or whatever."
The new business model is gambling it can package all the established advantages of radio and a few new ones which for the US include no advertising.
"XM radio is the current leader of the pack in the satellite market... (and was) launched on the basis of delivering masses of radio channels to in car users who would be able to listen to their chosen station right the way across the country, something you cannot do with traditional radio in the US."
"The XM service costs for $9.99 a month per receiver. Their latest unit is a small panel that can move from a cradle that sits on the dashboard of your car to a slot in the front of a boombox."
The price of a coffee a week seems a small price to pay for commercial free audio choice.
[BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]
Practical fun #2
I heard about David A Law's Creating Comics resource page from the Cartoonist. He offers links to info on Writing Illustrating Lettering Submiting Self-publishing Small pressNewsgroups Mailing Lists Research Book List & Magazines
Heaps of valuable stuff here.