Electronic Technology Is Killing Radio…

Friday, January, 16, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

(Weekend Edition) 

30 Years ago it was video that was killing the radio star, today it’s electronic technology.  The latest example of this technology is called Slacker.  The iPhone Slacker doesn’t have an FM tuner but it doesn’t need one.  In addition to getting Pandora, the iPhone Slacker can stream Internet radio music over its data connection with its web radio service provider.  In addition to getting tons of free music of your own choice, you can pick one of your favorite stations, arranged by preset genres and away you go.  And iPhone is not alone in this enterprise…

The BlackBerry Slacker will let you personalize radio stations or choose from more than 100 programmed stations or artist-specific stations.  Users can also cache the data on a memory card,so they can play music without a network connection to lengthen battery life…

If your wheels are turning, they should be.  If you’re in what used to be called the “record business” you’re wondering how to get your music on the Internet.  If you’re in radio, you’re thinking “We’re doomed”.  Not yet - but the clock is ticking…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1916] No joke Johnny: The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) is formed in New York City and an endless amount of un-funny golf jokes follow (1/17)…
2. 1929] Debuted on this date: Popeye makes his first appearance in the comic strip “Thimble Theater” (1/17)…
3. 1948] Round & round she goes: The precursor of “American Idol”, “The Original Amateur Hour”, hosted by Ted Mack moves from radio to television where it runs until 1960 (1/18).  Gladys Knight appeared on the show at the age of 7…
4. 1950] On the brink: A million and a quarter in cash and over $1.5 million in checks, money orders and securities is stolen in the Great Brink’s Robbery from the Brinks Building in Boston (1/17)…
5. 1964] Premiered on this date: “Hello Dolly” starring Carol Channing opens at the St. James Theatre on Broadway (1/16)…1974] “Jaws” by Peter Benchley is published and quickly becomes a best seller with plans in the works for a movie (1/16)…1976] “The Donny & Marie Show” starts a 3-year run with “A little bit Country, A little bit Rock & Roll” (1/16)…
6. 1970] “Happy Trails“: Singer Billy Stewart and 3 band members are killed when their car goes out of control and off a bridge in North Carolina. Stewart was just 32 (1/17)…2007] Humorist and author Art Buchwald is a victim of kidney failure at 81 (1/17)…2008] Controversial and eccentric chess icon Bobby Fischer is dead at 64 from degenerative renal failure (1/17)…
7. 1971] Super Sunday: The Colts’ Jim O’Brien boots a 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining to give Baltimore a 16-13 win over Dallas in Super Bowl V, considered the sloppiest of all SB games with a record 11 turnovers (1/17)…1976] The Pittsburgh Steelers win their second consecutive Super Bowl on the last play in an exciting 21-17 win over Dallas (1/18).  Here’s a clip of the game…
8. 1973] Curtains: “Bonanza” airs its last episode (1/16). It debuted on September 12, 1959.  Here are some bloopers of the show…
9. 1988] Jimmy the Geek: CBS-TV fires Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder one day after his racial comment that during slavery, “blacks had been bred to produce stronger offspring” (1/16).  His comments got worse…
10. 1994] Quake, quake: The Northridge (CA) earthquake rocks Los Angeles, registering a 6.7 on the Richter Scale. At least 61 are killed with damage estimated at $20 billion (1/17)…1995] A magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastates the city of Kobe, Japan (1/17). More than 6,000 are killed…

Music Memories:

• 1957] Recorded on this date: “Lucille” - Little Richard (1/16)…
• 1961] Number One on this date: “Wonderland by Night” - Bert Kaempfert (1/18)…1964] “There! I’ve Said It Again” - Bobby Vinton (1/17) (The last #1 hit before the British Invasion)…1971] “Knock Three Times” - Dawn (1/18)…1974] “Show And Tell” - Al Wilson (1/17)…1980] “The Wall” LP - Pink Floyd (1/18)…1986] “That’s What Friends Are For” - Dionne Warwick & Friends (Stevie, Gladys and Elton) (1/18) (All proceeds went to the ‘American Foundation For AIDS Research’)…
• 1969] Released on this date: “Led Zeppelin” LP (1/17)…1976] “Frampton Comes Alive” LP - Peter Frampton (1/16)…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:(1/16) Kate Moss (35), Roy Jones, Jr. (40), Sade (Adu) (50), Debbie Allen (59), Dr. Laura Schlessinger (62), Ronnie Milsap (63), Jim Stafford (65), Barbara Lynn (67), A.J. Foyt (74) and Marilyn Horne (75)…(1/17) Kid Rock (38), Michelle Obama (45), Jim Carrey (47), The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs (50), Steve Harvey (52), Paul Young (53), Muhammad Ali (67), Maury Povich (70), James Earl Jones (78), Don Zimmer (78), Vidal Sassoon (81), Newton Minnow (83) and Betty White (87)…(1/18) Jesse (”Law & Order”) Martin (40), Mark Messier (48), Kevin Costner (54), Bobby Goldsboro (68) and noise reduction guy Ray Dolby (76)…

Timeline Countdown: 3 days until MLK Jr. Day, 4 days until the Inauguration, 16 days until the Super Bowl and 29 days until pitchers and catchers report voluntarily…

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