Periodically we send out a short summary of all the recent activity in the RadioDNS project. If you’d like to receive it by e-mail, join our (low-traffic) announcements group at http://groups.google.com/group/radiodns-announce
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Talking about RadioDNS
As RadioDNS grows in size and visibility, more people are talking about the opportunities that hybrid radio provides the industry, and how RadioDNS can play a role in that development. Here’s a selection of interesting reads (and listens) that help put what we’re doing into context.
Industry discusses RadioDNS (podcast):
In a tumultuous period for UK Radio, RadioDNS’ Secretary Elect James Cridland explains why hybrid radio is a bright innovation for the industry. If you’re interested in the saga of the consolidation, de-regulation and “de-localisation” of UK radio, then enjoy this podcast from the beginning, but the RadioDNS specific discussion starts at 36’50”.
http://www.radioacademypodcast.co.uk/podcast/iframe.phtml/?podcast_id=81
BBC works on RadioDNS:
The BBC are members of RadioDNS, and their Research and Development team has been working on RadioDNS for some time. George Wright, the head of the team, gives some insight into their work generally, and what they’re working on with RadioDNS, in a blog update.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/researchanddevelopment/2010/07/prototyping-weeknotes-22-09071.shtml
RadioDNS in the US:
The last RadioDNS update came directly after a significant event for RadioDNS – our first every live presentation of RadioDNS in action on a mobile handset at the TechINK conference in Santa Monica, CA. Here’s how RadioINK covered the event.
http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=1828297&spid=24698
Hybrid Radio is “Better” Radio:
Hybrid Radio is about making better radio, and who better to judge that than listeners and non-technology colleagues. James Stodd (a UK Radio producer), gives his review of 95.8 Capital FM (London’s) “Summertime Ball Event”, and likes what his RadioDNS enabled radio can do for him and other listeners.
http://jamesstodd.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/summertime-ball-mixes-it-up/
Hybrid Radio is more profitable radio:
Hybrid Radio should also be more profitable radio, and I’m pleased to see more stations and their clients realising the added value it can deliver. Global Radio (UK) have been commercialising visualised radio for some time, and now Absolute Radio (UK) are writing new revenues streams from it too.
http://onegoldensquare.com/2010/07/universal-mccann-book-a-microsoft-office-campaign-that-includes-radio-dns-visuals-by-paul-brown/
Hybrid Radio in the car:
Roger Lancot is an Analyst for Strategy Analytics, and he’s been looking at the challenges of getting digital radio a standard item in vehicles worldwide. He talks about how a hybrid approach, as enabled by RadioDNS, could be the ideal scenario for manufacturers.
http://blogs.strategyanalytics.com/auto/?p=125
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Team Updates
All three Technical Teams agreed by the Steering Board meeting are now up and running, and working on solutions for their respective challenges. Any member can join a team, and supporters can ask the Team Leader if they’d like to join too.
RadioVIS is led by Ben Poor and is specifying the presentation of visuals to accompany radio
RadioEPG is led by Ben Matthew and is specifying the provision of EPG and other Service Related Data
RadioTAG is led by Andy Buckingham and is specifying a simple interaction framework for connected radios
You can follow all their discussions in our Developers’ discussions at http://groups.google.com/group/radiodns-developers
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Trials
More stations are trialling RadioDNS, including our first temporary event-based station. The number of countries in the database continues to grow, and we’re more than happy to help stations who want to trial RadioDNS. We’re expecting the members and supporters to continue releasing open-source software packages to allow broadcasters and manufacturers to quickly build test and development environments – that information will be circulated on the Developers’ list and added to the website when it happens.
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TVDNS?
They say great minds think alike, and we recently made contact with Project Baird, who are looking at how hybrid TV might evolve. It’s relevant as more connected TV manufacturers also look to include an enhanced radio experience. The project is looking at how RadioDNS or a close-variant of it, might become part of their project. We’ll keep you updated their progress, but if you’re technically inclined, you can follow the discussion here.
http://projectbaird.com/discovery/tvdns/
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Pure Offer
I’m very pleased to say that PURE, the manufacturers of digital radios, have offered members of RadioDNS a discount on their entire range of radios, including the Sensia which includes RadioDNS technology. If you’d like to take advantage of that offer, please e-mail me (nick dot piggott at radiodns dot org) and I will pass your interest onto PURE.
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Coming Up
We expect to be announcing some new members to the project shortly, and demonstrating RadioDNS on more stations and more devices. We’re also hoping that RadioDNS will be present in some form at IBC Amsterdam (September) and the NAB Radio Show (October).
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Finally
As ever, RadioDNS thrives on the involvement and engagement of its members and supporters. Supporters can get involved for free, and members (who get voting rights and control the direction of the organisation) pay a membership fee of just CHF2.000,- (about USD1,800, EUR1.200,-) a year.
If you know a station or an individual who’d like to know more or get involved, send them in the direction of http://radiodns.wpengine.com/membership or get them to email feedback@radiodns.org
Thanks for reading this update,
Nick Piggott
Chairperson
RadioDNS