What on Cyber Monday?

The Internet Is So Over

Monday, November 29, 2010

By Jerry Del Colliano

Almost as soon as it arrives, the Internet is on the decline.

You may find that hard to believe and I understand that. But some big mistakes are about to be made under the assumption that media content needs to be contoured for the Internet.

As recently as last week, we saw hints that the Internet had seen its finer days when a rumor circulated that Apple had banned single radio station apps from its popular app store. As it turned out, there is no apparent reason for immediate concern as Jacobs Media, one of radio’s leading app producers, said that 

Apple had accepted client requests for single app approval as recently as a few weeks ago.

The rumor was that only apps with 100 or more stations would be approved by Apple as DJB Apps’ Jim Barcus reportedly told Radio Magazine that Apple rejected 10 of his company’s single station radio stream apps on November 10. Barcus claimed that Apple told him single station apps are the same as so-called FART apps and are considered spam by the Apple store.

But there is a bigger question.

Why are radio stations streaming content on the Internet as we enter 2011 when what consumers want – and crave – is short-attention span content that they can access and use at will?

Internet streaming of radio never worked with most stations barely gaining 3% increases in listening to add to its terrestrial ratings. For all the problems with AFTRA and commercial rights, the software problems to allow insertion of non-terrestrial advertising – streaming simply laid an egg.

What worked over the air wasn’t as desirable as a stream – and it makes sense if you look at things from the consumers’ point of view rather than that of radio companies.

Radio has come late to the Internet game and now risks investing time and money to catch up on in an area I am representing to you is over.

Editor: Some of the bigger problems, the fill music and dead spaces, some streams don't work and they ones that do barely work. Radio needed to put other formats on streams instead of HD programming.