The Future of Radio part 2
As i argued in the Future of Radio post; computerized radio is the way of the future, despite the rants of music biz “guru” Bob Lefsetz, who claims there is still a place for human programmed radio to rule in the hearts of millions of young listeners.
Well, Bob is back at it again, claiming that internet radio Colossus, Pandora SUCKS because:
1-According to Bob, computer compiled radio is bad, because you have to weed out the “crap” music that gets played along the “good” music. Yep, according to Bob, it is a sin if the Pandora algorithms for whatever reason play something that doesn’t completely suit your fancy. Nevermind most younger listeners have obviously a broader listening palette than Mr. Lefsetz and want to experience something other that the usual recycled list of Top 40 candy songs (Coldplay, Nickelback, etc) he seems to blog about so much. If anyone wants to listen 24 hours of Nickelback, they you don’t need internet radio.. they just need to fill their Ipod with all the albums!
Radio, at best, is a medium of musical discovery, not a medium of static and inane music playback.
I guess the Pandora algorithmic model is nowhere as good as the revolutionary model of physical radio stations where *everyone* loves *every* song in the playlist programmed by your favorite payola-bribed radio personality. This is why land radio is a thriving business and kids can’t get enough of it. LOL
I guess Bob just doesn’t get it: Pandora is not your Classic Rock radio station where they play the same Starway-to-Freebird over and over again. Get over it, Bob, the model of human programmed radio you grew up with is DEAD. DEAD.
2-Bob claims that Pandora sucks because it wants to turn a profit, that it is all about money. LOL!!
I guess it is a sin for Pandora to want to turn a profit. Didn’t Bob know that Pandora gets its bandwidth for free from the Church of Internetology, and their staff of programmers do charity work and eat at the church for free after work? Turning a profit is BAD!!
Oh, those evil capitalists!
Seriously, the moronic mindset of the *free* internet is going to come to a screeching halt once everyone realizes that is costs a lot of MONEY to run websites like YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and a zillion other lesser known social network clones… none of which make a dime of profit a quarter and bleed millions of dollars of VC investment a year. Once all those companies run out of money and the Web 2.0 bubble bursts, people will wake up to find their dream of *free* vanished into thin air.
This is already happening overseas, as a few USA companies are cutting back on bandwidth expenditures and blocking users in Eastern Europe, Africa, China, etc. from using their *free* services.
3-Bob claims Pandora sucks because slacker.com is much better.
hmm i wonder how much is Bob getting paid to advertise the wonders of Coldplay, Nickelback and slacker.com every other day?
Tell us one more time Bob, if Pandora is such crap why does it have millions of users?
Is it because millions don’t know any better and they haven’t checked out your wonderful Pandora copycat slacker.com??
No, millions of people listen to Pandora because it fucking works, ok?
If Pandora was shit, nobody would listen to it.
Pandora will turn a profit next year, whether Bob likes it or not, and it will be internet radio business model to follow:
Pandora = free + commercials
Pandora One = commercial free with subscription
Get over it Bob.
(Disclosure: i have no financial investment in Pandora, Coldplay, Nickelback or any other type of sliced cheese)
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The NY Times blog has published an article about the The Ascendance of Internet Radio.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/the-ascendance-of-internet-radio/