Introduction to webcasting

INTRODUCTION TO WEBCASTING INTRODUCTION TO WEBCASTING By Reginald Dennis Miles B A , Columbia College, 1997 Radio’s ability to survive as a broadcast medium will be the result of radio’s embrace of we[.]

INTRODUCTION TO WEBCASTING

By

Reginald Dennis Miles B.A., Columbia College, 1997 Radio’s ability to survive as a broadcast medium will be the result of

radio’s embrace of webcasting technology.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the Degree of Master of Arts, With a Major in Media Communications

Governors State University University Park, IL 60466

2000

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: 3

History Of The Internet 6

The Emergence Of The Internet 8

Mass Communication: The Three Ages 9

The Internet's Universal Language 12

The Internet And Webcasting Opportunity 14

Beyond Local Reach; New Revenues For Broadcasters 20

Webcasting Advantage For Broadcasters And Advertisers 22

What Is Webcasting Technology? 23

Streaming Technology 23

On-Demand Technology 25

Push Technology 26

Commercial Radio Webcasting 27

The Webcaster Manager 30

The Reemerging Role Of The Announcer 32

The Webcasting Process 33

Noncommercial Radio 35

Webcasting Project For Wkkc Fm 89.3 36

Discovering The Webcasting Process 38

The Wkkc Fm Webcasting Project 40

Putting The Pieces Together 43

On To The Website 47

Some Final Thoughts 48

Glossary 49

Bibliography 53

LIST OF FIGURES F IGURE 1 A RBITRON G RAPH ……… ……… 15

F IGURE 2 A RBITRON G RAPH 15

F IGURE 3 A RBITRON G RAPH 15

F IGURE 4 B ASIC A UDIO C HAIN 33

Figure 5 Streaming Audio-Signal Configuration 44

INTRODUCTION:

We are in an era of digital broadcasting and change The whole notion of

broadcasting is likely to be turned upside down as different media (satellites, microwave, cable, and broadcasting) aggressively compete while the Internet steadily moves into worldwide dominance Broadcasting as we now know it will be changed

Today radio is a simple, ubiquitous part of daily life, bringing news, information, and entertainment to millions Yet early radio was frustrating and cumbersome, characterized

by poor fidelity and unreliable reception Nevertheless, no one could get enough In many ways, webcasting is following in the footsteps of its precursor Given enough perseverance and enthusiasm its balky, low fidelity, non-portable attributes should improve over time making webcasting as universal and commonplace as radio is today but with the significantaddition of interactivity

The aspect of broadcasting a radio signal over the Internet is the primary focus of this paper Academic research on the subject of Webcasting is limited Studies are in progress at the writing of the paper

However, in this paper we will describe webcasting as it relates to radio and discussthe technology, business and management issues associated with broadcasting an audio signal via the Internet We will also explore the impact of webcasting technology on radio’s ability to survive as a broadcast medium and the effect of webcasting on non-commercial radio Radio’s ability to survive as a broadcast medium will be the result of radio’s embrace

of webcasting technology This paper will also document the process of placing an

educational non-commercial station WKKC FM 89.3 Kennedy-King College, Chicago on the Internet

Broadcasting via the transmission of radio waves in the air will not be replaced This

is a vital element of man’s existence For example, in the event of a natural disaster the battery-powered mobile transistor radio will readily link man to the world of communicationswhen cable and telephone lines are destroyed through a natural disaster

The following perspective from Clea Simon of the New York Times speaks to the emergence of web radio

Radio at 105 years of age is our oldest electronic medium Radio is audio

transmitted over airwaves Web radio is not; it's a changeling, a powerful new means of broadcasting audio Radio, by its nature, has been limited by space, or distance from a tower or transmitter, and by time, since traditional stations present shows in sequence Web radio is limited by neither Because of its medium telephone or cable lines it does away with the geographic restrictions of radio And because of the computer's virtually unlimited storage capacity, Web radio can archive nearly any number of programs indefinitely and offer them for access at anytime Moreover, because the world, not to mention our government, has been unable to agree on how to regulate the Internet, Web radio is exempt from FCC licensing and restrictions Any hacker is free to set up a guerrilla site, and listeners will be able to tune in from around the world

“Is Webcasting a threat to radio? Not likely yet Despite recent Wall Street hoopla over Internet-related stock offerings many industry observers see no threat to over-the-air radio from webcasting ventures Other analysts, however, say Webcasting might establish

a real foothold with the at-work listening audience Still others are concerned that

technological advances could allow portable handheld pagers to stream audio, effectively creating a 21st century version of the transistor radio”, states Tony Sanders (1999) of Gavin.com

Lawrence Magne (1998) in “Passport to Web Radio” explains that the technological evolution of radio shows us that consumers gravitate to mobile audio and resist tethered audio To hear a simple radio station on the Internet calls not only for being tethered to a phone line and a power cord, but also a desk full of technological gear designed for on-

screen and print video So while Web radio makes engineering sense and has a certain novel appeal, it does not yet fit into the established pattern of human behavior (p 136).

However, the development of new wireless technologies with capabilities of

receiving Internet signals and limitless options for listeners on the Internet, will increase thepotential of Webcasting to become a significant threat to over the air broadcasting

according to Harry Martin (2000) in Broadcast Educational Radio magazine (p 24)

Lawrence Magne (1998) concludes while it may be tempting to write off traditional radio, chances are that it will continue to coexist comfortably with global Web radio precisely because FM and AM excel with local audiences and advertisers (p 137)

Internet broadcasting or webcasting is a new method of sending data (audio, video,

or text) over the Internet Webcasting extends the computer’s usefulness into the area of mass communication and distribution of information Webcasting allows the computer to become a broadcast technology, a mass medium enabling communication from one source

or broadcasters to many receivers at the same time Webcasting simply is the latest

product of the evolution of computer technology

This new age of communication did not exist four years ago and now thousands of Web sites and hundreds of broadcasters are webcasting to online audiences The

challenge to radio’s survival is the integration of the Internet into the present broadcast operations to find new audiences and mainly as a source of new revenues Radio

broadcasting has a new life and powerful ally in competing with media which historically minimized radio’s ability to support itself The Internet is the single most prolific

communication entity with the power to integrate all eight mass media into a single

communication element

3

HISTORY OF THE INTERNET

The Internet had its roots during the 1960s as a project of the United States

government's Department of Defense, to create a non-centralized network designed to survive partial outages (i.e nuclear war) and still function when parts of the network were down or destroyed This project was called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), created by the Pentagon's Advanced Research Projects Agency

established in 1969 to provide a secure and survivable communications network for

organizations engaged in defense-related research

In order to make the network more global a new sophisticated and standard

protocol was needed They developed IP (Internet Protocol) technology, which defined howelectronic messages were packaged, addressed, and sent over the network The standard protocol was invented in 1977 and was called TCP/IP (Transmission Control

Protocol/Internet Protocol) TCP/IP allowed users to link various branches of other complex networks directly to the ARPANet, which soon came to be called the Internet

Researchers and academics in other fields began to make use of the network, and eventually the National Science Foundation (NSF), which had created a similar and parallelnetwork called NSFNet, took over much of the TCP/IP technology from ARPANET NSFNetestablished a distributed network of networks capable of handling far greater traffic

ARPANet grew during the 1970s, and was upgraded to a high-speed network by linking several powerful supercomputer stations called nodes

In 1985, the National Science Foundation (NSF) began a program to establish Internet access across the United States They created a backbone called the NSFNET and opened their doors to all educational facilities, academic researchers, government

agencies, and international research organizations The Defense Communications Agency shut down ARPANet in 1989 due to limited funding and support from the military

By the 1990s the Internet experienced explosive growth It is estimated that the number of computers connected to the Internet was doubling every year By mid-1994 the Internet connected an estimated two million computers in more than 100 countries, serving some 23 million users Many commercial computer network and data services also

provided at least indirect connection to the Internet

5

THE EMERGENCE OF THE INTERNET

The evolution of the Internet has had an impact on traditional media Broadcasters have found that the web is attracting large numbers of people and they are searching for ways to capitalize on it Radio, which has seen enormous changes in the last few years, sits at a unique moment in its history While ownership consolidation has led to an entirely new way of constructing radio entities, for the first time radio as a medium is being targetedwith audio alternatives “With Internet radio, digital satellite radio, and other delivery

systems, radio is on the verge of facing the kinds of challenges that print and television have been facing for years”, according to Arbitron and Edison Research (1998)

Additionally, the Number of radio webcasters on the Internet continues to grow New statistics released by BRS Media’s Web Radio portal site (2000) show that a record number of radio stations are now broadcasting over the Internet According to the report over 3,500 radio stations are currently 'broadcasting' their signal on the Internet, up from 2,261 stations a year ago and a mere 56 in 1996 While half of the radio webcasters are US- or Canadian-based stations the healthiest growth continues to come from Internet-onlyand international broadcasters

Many companies that own radio and television stations have responded to the introduction of this new technology by jumping aboard the web site bandwagon Stations have attempted to stay competitive in their respective markets by incorporating the web into their broadcast operations

In an article entitled “Webcasting Now,” author Harry Martin (2000) adds to the impact of webcasting this way “Web Radio has the potential to permanently change the way we listen Web radio will soon deliver better than FM audio with thousands of listening

choices” It is the choices, which will allow consumers the best advantage Internet stations will make the visits to other parts of the world as simple as a point and click” (p 24)

MASS COMMUNICATION: THE THREE AGES

Rick Ducey (1998) of the National Association of Broadcasters states in “Internet Age Broadcaster” that mass communications has gone through three different ages Theseages are similar in some ways and different in others The ages are the Newspaper Age, Broadcast Age and the age we have just entered, the Internet Age (p 7)

Modern mass media began 150 years ago with the launch of the penny press This was the beginning of the Newspaper Age Using Industrial Revolution technologies and themass production economies of the factory, huge numbers of newspapers could be printed and distributed inexpensively The cost was generally a penny to consumers hence the name “Penny Press.”

The next age of broadcasting began about 75 years ago when the first commercial radio station signed on in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The enabling technology behind the move to the Broadcast Age was the invention of the radio set Ducey (1998) elaborates, “In

a sense, what radio and television broadcasting does is to provide electronic copies of programs in consumers homes in real-time Instead of printing only one newspaper a day

in the Broadcast Age, we can turn on our radio or television and experience real-time, constantly updated content It’s like a living newspaper (p 8) People rely on radio as a personal companion with the ability to have a round the clock, constantly updated

many radio stations The average person will spend 40 percent of their time listening to radio and watching television in a typical week That’s 3,500 hours per year according to the Ducey (1998) and the National Association of Broadcasters (p 8) The Broadcast Age created a huge demand for real-time information

However, with the advance of technology in the Broadcast Age the emergence of digital technology and computers has created a new shift towards information on demand The ability to control what, when, and how many times information is received and viewed

is an advantage of digital age technology Mass media, according to Negroponte (1998), will be redefined by systems for transmitting and receiving personalized information and entertainment (pp.168-170)

Enter the Internet Age In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee with a background of system design in real-time communications and text processing software development invented theWorld Wide Web, an internet-based hypermedia initiative for global information sharing while working at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory Tim-Berners-Lee wrote the first web client (browser-editor) and server in 1990 Today the coding is the heart of theInternet

The World Wide Web according to Vivian (1996) has emerged as the eighth major mass medium The Web is an interface for computers that allow people anywhere to connect to any information anywhere else on the system This enables the Web to be moreflexible than other media The Web operates on a global internet that links many far-flung computer networks The system of connected internets or local networks of computers forms the Internet (pp.221)

In the Broadcast Age, the distribution process of media information was moved directly into the home In the Internet Age, every aspect of the information process, the editorial office, graphic design, layout, composition, and the mailroom will move into the

home Mass communication has evolved from relying on mass production technology in theNewspaper Age to combining electronic mass production and distribution in the Broadcast Age to creating essentially individual digital copies on the fly in the Internet Age The distinct reality of the Internet and the World Wide Web is the Internet's ability to house and transmit all other forms of media The Internet Age will fully empower its participants in the information age.

The handling of information in the Internet Age will be processed and delivered at incredible speed The physical limitations of present day delivery of media communications will cease to exist as the Internet Age becomes more pronounced The Internet Age

connects consumers to program elements in their own time anywhere in the world The basic technology of the Internet age is the unification of the production, distribution, and consumption platforms This connectivity and interoperability is achieved through digital technology and standard setting This standard setting is called a language

9

THE INTERNET'S UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

The language of the Internet is TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).TCP/IP is a method for computers to interconnect with each other and transfer data back and forth This protocol or communications method allows computers of different types to understand each other when connected Every digital technology has a basic operating language or standard by which it operates These operating languages will be able to communicate with each other upon connecting to the Internet through the Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

According to Negroponte (1998) the methodical movement of the human handling

of most information in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, and videocassettes, is about to become the instantaneous and inexpensive transfer of electronic data that move

at the speed of light In this form, information can become universally accessible (p.4) Moreover, Barry L Sherman (1995) states that, “as the current system of mass

communication evolves into the next century it is clear that devices once considered separate items will merge into a single entity" (p 408) The single media entity will be connected to the Internet

Additionally, the new technologies in the development will merge the range of portable telecommunications devices as well The personal stereo receiver ("Walkman"), the pager, the cellular phone, the camcorder, and the laptop computer will merge into a single communication device This convergence of technology will allow an individual the ability to communicate with anyone else in the world, regardless of where each party happens to be -in a car, on a beach, aboard a transcontinental airliner

According to Marcia L De Sonne(1998) Director, Technology Assessment NAB

Research & Planning,

“The Net is proving to be an unprecedented technology platform enabling users worldwide to obtain direct access to a multiplying array of business, technical, news, corporate, government, travel, leisure, art, and host of other information sources Growing web activity also is focused on offering/providing consumers with new on-line services such

as stock proxy voting opportunities to advertiser-supported electronic couponing Fast paced changes and growing consumer acceptance have set the stage for the next

technology "du jour" — web streaming or webcasting Web "streaming" of audio and/or video material via the Net has been declared a key future business strategy in a recent Fortune Magazine article on the future of the Internet”

These new technologies have given birth to a new breed of broadcaster who is casting a digital net and building a new medium according to Miles & Sakai (1998) With the interests of computer software giant Microsoft Corporation adding to the alliance the convergence of broadcast, computers, and the Internet is a present reality as Bill Gates, Chairman/CEO, of Microsoft Corporation states (p 26):

The Internet and intranets are empowering technologies that advance the

functionality of broadcast networks such as radio, television, cable and satellite Ourgoal is to enable everybody- media companies, business and consumers - to receive, originate and interact with these next-generation broadcasts

11

THE INTERNET AND WEBCASTING OPPORTUNITY

The Internet has opened the door to several new technologies one of which is Webcasting Webcasting in general is sending digital information over the Internet for reception, viewing and/or listening by the public, possibly involving interaction between the sender and recipient

Eric Young (1999), a writer for the Sacramento Bee, describes Webcasting as advantageous for both broadcasters and consumers Young states, “thousands of radio stations in the United States and across the world have begun to send out their music and news, interviews, and talk shows via the World Wide Web allowing people to tune in with a few clicks of a mouse.”

Shane Carpenter (1999) a program coordinator at Access Sacramento adds that

“Sacramento radio does not have much to offer, but on the web there are amazing

possibilities of what you can hear There is so much out there it’s hard to settle on just one thing.”

Broadcasters benefit from an extended audience and consumers benefit through more variety and choices on the Internet Webcasting like cable in its infancy allowed remote areas to receive more viewer choices through cable Areas like Sacramento,

California with limited radio selection can receive programs from anywhere in the world through webcasts

Radio’s future hinges on its participation with the Internet In an article written in the New York Times the author, Micheal Marriot writes

Broadcast radio will eventually be forced to adapt much as it was forced to change with the advent of television more than 50 years ago This (the Internet) will not destroy broadcast radio, What is probably going to happen more and more is that broadcast radio is going to shoehorn itself into being used in certain capacities.Each year since 1998 according to Arbitron and Edison (1998) research indicates increased numbers of consumers using the Internet at home and at work As the Internet becomes more multi-media friendly, the modes of interactivity on the Internet increases because webcasting offers new dimensions in sight and sound In addition to reading text pages, the web surfer can actually experience the sight and sounds associated with

products, places and people In many respects webcasting offers the same capabilities as

a TV, radio, or satellite receiver

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2

Internet Access From August 98 - July 99

The research on home and business access translates into more people using the Internet, which in turn contributes to a larger audience for Web broadcasting The same survey conducted by Arbitron and Edison research also indicates that over 63% of people

Home Internet access is up to 37%

25

37 35

Combined home/work Internet access is up to 42%

Source: Arbitron/Edison Telephone Survey Base: Total Sample

30

42 41

0 10 20 30 40 50

Jul-99 Jan-99 Aug-98

% with access at home or work

Aware that it is possible to listen to radio stations over the Internet:

Yes 30%

No

online are aware that it is possible to listen to Web Radio on the Internet as indicated by the chart in Figure 3.

As computers are experiencing an increased presence in U.S homes, home

Internet usage is also on the rise Two-thirds of adults (65 percent) living in computer households access the Internet at home This translates into a 29 percent increase in the number of adult Internet users from the past year, as indicated by Fitzgerald & Rosin in Arbitron & Edison Research (1999)

Today the number of radio stations broadcasting via the Internet is increasing The Internet has the potential to offer radio broadcasters the ability to extend the reach of existing programming to the world and the possibility to begin new programming services Radio stations on the Internet have the ability to reach listeners beyond their local areas The opportunity to increase the listening audience to a worldwide audience is both

fascinating and challenging Moreover, webcasting while still in its infancy, offers numerouscreative challenges and options towards gaining new advertising revenue sources for broadcasters Listed below are the challenges and opportunities researched by Arbitron & Edison Media Research (1998)

 Internet users spend less time with radio One-fifth of those on-line have

listened to Internet audio Advancements in technology and programming will lead to more on-line listenership As Internet usage grows, will Americans be listening to over the air stations on the Web, or Internet-only stations?

 Americans are interested in digital satellite radio One out of four Americans say they are very interested in the concept

 Seventeen percent of Americans say that their local radio options do not serve radio their music tastes A similar number say radio does not serve their news and information needs New-media audio alternatives could attract these

listeners

 If given the choice, one-third of Americans would listen more to out-of-town stations, as opposed to local stations

While these challenges of new media could impact current radio listening levels, it is not certain these factors will adversely impact revenues Both newspaper and television have suffered dramatic audience erosion, yet revenues for both media continue to be healthy.

This study also identifies many exciting opportunities for radio to enhance its revenues and enlarge its audience with new media:

 Webcasting could boost at-work listenership One-third say radio signals do not come in clearly at work Webcasting offers clear and static-free signals As Internet penetration in the workplace increases, so can at-work listenership

 What do Americans indicate as the most interesting type of Internet audio? Their favorite radio station! People want to listen on-line to the one station they already listen to the most

 Radio is the best possible medium to drive people to visit Web sites Advertisersare finding that compared to web-based advertising, radio is more successful at getting people to go to a Web site Radio stations’ ownership clusters now reach50-70% of all people in a market, and have a huge marketing opportunity to drive their listeners to their Web sites

 On-line listeners want a lot more from radio station Web sites The Website functionality they desire consists of elements that can make money for radio:

1 Half of on-line Americans want to be able go to a Web site to see the products and services of radio advertisers

2 40% are interested in printing advertiser coupons from station Web sites

3 Nearly half are interested in buying products and services from a station Web site

4 A third of on-line Americans say they are interested in visiting a Web site that would list local shopping information This would be a boon to radio since a fair number of listeners report difficulties in recalling radio-advertising information

However, as with other new technological advances (the telegraph and telephone, film and videotape), Webcasting has its doubters and skeptics Sandy Stahl (1999)

Marketing Director at Entercom’s music questions the effectiveness of the Internet

broadcasts “Is anybody making money from Webcasting”? Stahl also states that “having a website right now and for the immediate future is just the cost of doing business” Stahl’s opinion of webcasting is based on the inability to see immediate profit

15

Unfortunately, this view by Stahl is shortsighted and shows possibly a lack of research information before evaluating all the possibilities since webcasting is only 4 to 5 years old For example, there are over 20 million people around the world with Internet access, a number that is increasing rapidly Approximately 35% of Americans have a PC athome; among families with incomes over $50K, home computer penetration approaches 60percent These numbers are continuing to rise However, Stahl does concede this point,

“until we (broadcasters) spend some time concentrating on it (webcasting) as a profit center and devote some manpower and hours to it, it’s not going to be one (profitable business enterprise).”

However, there is a changed attitude as companies race to provide Web access in automobiles according to Dave Carpenter (2000) of the Associated Press “The traditional AM/FM car radio is going the way of the Victrola and the eight-track player In fact, the company that pioneered radio in cars is one of the many companies pushing to tune it out pairing it with the Internet to provide a more plugged-in product Demand for Web-

connected cars is projected to triple in the next three years”

In addition to automakers placing Internet access in automobiles Other companies,states Conrad Trautman (2000) are gearing to manufacture an Internet radio receiv er capable of decoding conventional AM/FM transmissions and Internet radio stations

“Kerbango has announced an Internet radio that offers an easy user interface to listen to audio from the Net without a computer The radio will connect to the Internet via a network card or modem The user will need an Internet connection, but there is no charge for the service” (pp 76-77)

In another article entitled Webcasting: A Different Deal, from Gavin.com staff writer Quincy McCoy (1999) reports that “broadcasters must go beyond static web presence and explore the full potential of being on the Internet.” McCoy adds that research shows a

greater opportunity to gain a new audience via the web Tapping this vast resource is the responsibility of the manager McCoy’s research also indicates these potential resource facts

 77 percent of most Web stations listeners most likely listen to music

 64 percent look for news

 49 percent are drawn by live concerts or events

 69 percent of Web users say they are ”somewhat or very likely” to click for more information to which they are tuned

 59 percent of Webcast users are likely to but the music they are listening to or the video they are watching

This demonstrates a vast number of users and possibilities for radio in Webcasting

17

BEYOND LOCAL REACH; NEW REVENUES FOR BROADCASTERS

Furthermore, the ability to reach beyond the local area is the essential benefit for radio because of the increased listeners and advertising opportunities Joe Jaffoni (1998),

a Chancellor Media spokesman through an article in the Sacramento Bee states, “the idea

is to use the Web sites to offer contests or other information to draw listeners More

listeners and especially loyal listeners’ help drive advertising revenues for radio stations Using a website is another way drawing listeners to the station.” This view by Jaffoni embraces the new avenue radio should undertake to increase its profit potential

Therefore, the increased promotion opportunity through Webcasting makes radio stations that participate in webcasting more attractive to advertisers Advertisers in turn canuse ad banners on the website to expose their products through the association with the radio station

In an article written in "Passport to Web Radio" broadcaster Kim Komando (1998) states, "The reason why broadcasters should move to the Internet is both for new audienceand potential profit Webcasting allows listeners to tune outside their normal listening area,which expands a station's market from local to worldwide These distant markets don’t have

a local station with the quality or formats some listeners want, so Web radio fills the

audience gap

If a station has programming that stands out, strong personalities, creative playlists,local sports events, distinctive format or any sort of universal appeal listeners around the world will tune in, given the proper promotion Thus, any station has the opportunity to reach an audience as large or as larger than that of any syndicated programming." (p 135)

In a study reported in Gavin.com (1998), 74 percent of Webcast listeners tune in to stations outside their local market Sixty two percent listen to all-music channels, and 56 percent tune in to local radio stations online The study also indicated that those Web surfers are drawn to the unfamiliar Additionally, a study conducted by Arbitron reported in Webradio.com concluded that by year 2000, 25 percent of the radio listening public will be listening to radio over the net These conclusions indicate to the media manager that the Internet can be a very useful and powerful tool to gain new audiences, establish loyal audiences, and extend profit potential for radio The challenge for radio then becomes how

to creatively build an interesting, attention grabbing web site

19

WEBCASTING ADVANTAGE FOR BROADCASTERS AND ADVERTISERS

Furthermore, there are advantages of Webcasting to formats other than music ConnectOS Corporation of Kirkland, Washington, an Internet Service provider, states the advantage of Webcasting through talk radio in this way

Let’s look at how a talk radio show might present the discussion of a medical

procedure Listeners would be encouraged to look at the station’s Web site, where they could watch a series of changing images, Web pages, or even video, that explain the issues in detail Viewers might be also encouraged to click on links that lead to related topics, join discussion groups or even buy products directly off the Web site

The advantage to advertisers is the increased opportunity to make a sale on the product immediately through the Internet The advantage to consumers is lower prices because the Internet cuts out the middleman making prices lower The advantage to radio

is increased revenue through advertisers on popular programs The disadvantage would probably include too many banners annoying people who use the Internet The amount of banner usage is a decision made by the manager only after proper research is conducted

to justify the decision Realistically, the online customer expects something both different and compelling from the online radio station

WHAT IS WEBCASTING TECHNOLOGY?

The technology of Webcasting can be essentially divided into three types:

Prior to streaming, sound and video technology required that you wait for an entire file to be delivered (downloaded to your PC) before playback could begin To download a 60-second audio file in CD quality would take 5 hours using a 28.8 modem This would discourage anyone from seeing an announcement or news story Streaming allows the audio or video to play almost immediately

Another difference between streaming and downloadable files is that downloading audio of video requires a lot of empty hard drive space A small video or audio file can fill

up a hard drive quick With streaming, audio and video, the data packets are discarded as soon as they have been played Upon viewing the live signal, the data packets are erased

to make room for more audio or video Popular Software used to stream audio and video

21

on the Internet includes Microsoft NetShow, Real Audio, Real Video, Xing Streamworks, Vosaic, Vxtreme, Vivo and others

First, with respect to interactivity, there is potentially very little interactivity available during streaming Beyond selecting the different audio streams to receive, streaming technology offers as much interactivity as changing channels on a television set Streamingtechnology does offer a one to many paradigms with emphasis only on the live broadcast for the single user This essentially is similar to broadcasting over the air, where the radio signal is sent to the transmitter and radiated out through the antenna over the air to

receivers tuned to the frequency

However, broadcasting via the web encompasses the audio signal encoded or changed to a digital signal by one computer then sent to a server or another computer which creates the “stream” of audio information The transmission process is similar

between the processes of transmitting audio through the air and via the Internet through telephone lines The transmission process is basically related in the manner of feeding the information to the transmitting point Devices convert the audio signals In radio, the audio signal is converted to a radio frequency wave by the transmitter for distribution to the public In webcasting, the audio signal is converted from analog audio to digital audio then transferred to a server PC to be streamed on the Internet

Broadcasting a live signal over the Internet requires that the signal be transmitted in

a continuous data stream thus, the term “streaming” The continuous stream of the data willensure the receiver of the audio gets to the right information at the right time Real-time audio (on the spot audio) can be heard via the Internet without having to download an entire file before you can hear it Streaming technology is utilized by many radio stations because the real time or live nature of operation Streaming technology offers Internet surfers the opportunity to hear the broadcast as it happens

The disadvantage to streaming audio technology is the limited frequency response

on the audio signal and the possibility of sound dropouts due to irregular server

transmissions However, technological advances are rapidly occurring and the limitations ofInternet audio are being remedied as of the writing of this paper

ON-DEMAND TECHNOLOGY

On-demand webcasting technology refers to the ability to time shift information that

is delivered via streaming technologies On-demand webcasting means taking information and storing it for later use, much like recording a program on television to the VCR to watch

it later On-demand streaming allows an individual to use the Internet as his own personal radio, TV, or VCR Audio can be selected and listened to at the leisure of the individual Ondemand streaming is made to order

On-Demand audio allows the web user to select from an audio content provider’s menu of stored programs For example, National Public Radio and ABC Radio Networks put their hourly newscasts and other regular transmissions on on-demand audio servers immediately after sending them to their affiliated radio stations Listeners can then hear thenewscast via the Web any time thereafter

The advantage to consumers through on demand technology is the availability of choice The stored data can be digitized for better sound quality The disadvantage of on-demand streaming is the probability of hard drive storage problems for users because the programs have to be downloaded Websurfers will need enormous storage space for programs of extended length beyond 10-15 minutes

23

PUSH TECHNOLOGY

Another variation of webcasting is called push technologies Push technology, which actually includes both push and pull, delivers information to you both requested and not requested In many cases, push technology allows users to choose the information they want and to have it downloaded to their computer while the user does something else.When the information is ready on the computer, the user is notified by an alert The alert notice can be a screen saver, a desktop background, or clever graphics pushed on the top

of programs like Word or Excel Digital information such as audio, video, text, Web sites and software can be pushed to users

This type of webcasting is a method of selected content delivery that applies traits

of networking to broadcasting Essentially, push media allow a user to specify a set of configuration parameters most commonly in the form of a user profile The primary benefit

of push technology is the selective filtering on content

Peggy Miles (1998) in the "Guide to Webcasting" states the advantages of Push technologies

Push technologies also allow the user to install programs, receive news updates, and interact with the Internet with audio, video, and text sent to your computer –all without actively searching for the information This represents a significant change

in traditional Internet usage (p.24)

Push technology provides solutions of getting the right information to the right people at the right time This translates into more productive use of the Internet through intelligent and more efficient methods of the distribution of all kinds of information

Essentially, push technology offers more automation and time saving potential Popular push technologies include Pointcast, http://www.pointcast.com, Backweb,

COMMERCIAL RADIO WEBCASTING

The first decision of the station owners is the selection of a manager to head the webcasting project Internet webcasting requires the talents of a diverse group outside of the radio program director, station manager or general manager Success will entail the selection of a proper manager who has the authority and talent to work with many

departments The first decision by the webcasting manager is what of type of webcasting technology is to be utilized by the station

Webcasting sites vary widely depending on application and the amount of money spent initially to get the site up and running The decision will depend largely on the format

of the station and the objective ultimately to be achieved by the webcast For example, music stations will benefit more from streaming audio because of the exposure with the worldwide audiences Talk formats may want to have interaction and therefore push

technology is best Finally, news stations may opt for on demand webcasting technology, giving the listener the option of choice

The essential element of the Internet broadcasting is building a website From the website the Internet broadcasting or webcasting becomes a reality Webcasting and

building a website for radio represent a fusion of multiple departments and disciplines within the radio station The webcasting manager must be able to coordinate the talents of other individuals to achieve the development of the website Additionally, Internet

broadcasting will open the door of opportunity to a new department for radio called the Webcasting department

25

In an article written in the Chicago Sun-Times (1999), "webcasting is a growing niche industry with job titles that include producer, audio/visual specialist, on-site

technician, content developer, engineer and chief technology officer as well as battalions ofsales and marketing people"

According to Peggy Miles (1998), "a webcasting department needs to have clearly defined goals within the overall organization so as to understand the following: (1) what it isexpected to do, (2) when to draw the line when corporate expectations exceed capabilities,and (3) what to do when the department is drawn into tasks that it is not suited for or which

do not fall under its charter Time, after all, is money and a webcasting department that gets sidetracked to other duties cannot adequately fulfill its own responsibilities" (p 263)

In an article written by media consultants Kaplin and Associates they state,

As the streaming industry approaches the end of its unofficial fourth year, dramatic changes are already beginning to take place This is definitely a sign of theindustry’s growing maturity Discussions about the business are now becoming more serious: increasing distribution, raising money, controlling runaway coats, and generating revenues

The radio manager of the webcasting team needs to focus on the trends that are issues of the industry and not be burdened with items that are not necessarily associated with the business of webcasting

The webcasting department must be able to define the audience, understand the demographics of who listens, and understand just what the listener expects from the webcast The size of the website and the pages included will ultimately affect those who interact with the site The particulars of these issues will help the webcasting department decide what other content to put on the website Realistically, more hits on the site means greater options for other advertising revenue