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PlaNet News & Views
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Posted on 12-4-2005 Media Made Personal
by Alan Marston
The internet's energy is money, sex and power but its heart is a
particular type of power, self-empowerment. To be sure self-empowerment
hasn't been to the fore but in the end the heart conquers all. The
internet will make the potential of human individuation a reality ... for
those who have that potential.
PlaNet started PTV back in 1999, a TV station that was to be broadcast on
the internet in a technology called streaming. Until now we haven't been
able to realise our aims because of the lack of big enough `pipes' to
handle the data-flow needed for online TV of good quality. Until now. The
take-up of broadband is just this year making streaming a river and within
a year or two, an ocean.
Meantime watch PTV in the traditional way, broadcast via regional
television stations like Triangle TV in Auckland. Watch this space though,
before your mid-winter's party there will be PTV at www.pl.net streaming
what you want when you want it. The future for the self as one's own, is
online.
Power to the people!
First, radio. Its happening now in London as the article below explains.
.......................
DIY Radio
By Julia Day, April 11, 2005, The Guardian
Paul Gambaccini, Tony Blackburn and Wes Butters are among DJs backing a
revolutionary new service bringing radio to the iPod generation.
In a world first, they are to bypass conventional radio to reach listeners
and record shows specially for download from the internet.
The brainchild of former Virgin Radio DJ Daryl Denham and former Radio 1
chart show host Butters, the shows will cost from 49p and will span music,
speech, showbusiness and comedy with travel, sport, topical and specialist
interest shows planned .
"You can build your own fantasy radio station with shows from legendary
names," said Denham.
"People don't watch the TV the way they used to. Sky Plus and Tivo allows
them to record and watch when they like but radio has not been as
flexible, until now. We are offering radio where you want it when you want
it."
"And these are unique shows, created specially for iPods and MP3 players,
not rehashes of something already broadcast on the radio" added Butters.
The company, a three-way venture between Butters, Denham and talent
management agency MPC Entertainment, has deals in place with Warner Music
and Universal.
Podcasts will play only 60% of a song to make sure the service is not used
as a cheap method of downloading tracks - 99p will buy an hour-long music
show. Every track played will be linked to a download service allowing
listeners to buy it there and then.
"The record companies are realising that they will have to do deals like
this but this is the first, and they want to get it right. This is new
territory for all of us," said Denham.
The podcasting venture takes internet listening one step beyond what
broadcasters such as the BBC are doing at the moment. The corporation's
"listen again" service has 9 million requests for shows in February and
Denham and Butters are hoping to cash in on the same enthusiasm for online
radio.
Butters puts his Top 40 on the Pod
Among the first shows to become available is Butters' Top 40 countdown and
a daily breakfast show from Denham, a former breakfast host on Virgin.
Gambaccini - one of the UK's most respected broadcasters - will take up
where he left off at Classic FM and Jazz FM with classical and jazz chart
shows.
Podshows.com, the website that will host the shows, will also feature
veterans such as Tony Blackburn and Terry Christian, broadcasters who are
past their peak but still command interest.
Although Blackburn has four radio show contracts, the advantage for him is
he can reach a new audience without having to take on a new radio
contract. He can fit the recording around his other broadcasts and can
look forward to a potentially lucrative "podcast" sideline.
Blackburn plays to his strengths as a veteran DJ with his own 70s music
show, while Christian - best known as the host of controversial Channel 4
show The W
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