We have been comparing notes on satellite radios, podcasting and other innovations and have come to the conclusion that the $7.99 radio that receives simple broadcast in AM/FM is still the superior technology. Why? Surprise without a bill.
First surprise. What is so wrong with experiencing the unexpected that the BBC is setting up a silo-system so that no one in the audience listens to the same thing. I am of the position that positive sameness is the next big thing. People have had it with the negativity and isolation that has the iPod as its iCon. As usual, the planners have it wrong. What we need is a route to "us" that speaks to something more than the bomb shelter and a safe retirement. So, unless you have foolishly chosen to live in the sort of place that does not have a diversity of selections on your AM/FM dial, contentment can be found between the pools of audio crackle.
Second, the bill. Internet or cable TV or satellite radio each cost a hell of a lot. So does all of it together which is what most do. Add to that mobile phone information packages like the incredible uninteresting ESPN mobile sports to your phone - millions spent, hundreds sign up - and you are looking at 10% of your disposible income going to being entertained. There must be a higher value for the western world than slack jawed entertainment. The next big thing will be the mass realization of both that as well as the waste of time of all these billable services. Retraction and spending all the savings of craft beers and cheeses will be the coming trendy reaction to the inability of convergence to get nearer to us all than the horizon.
Aren't holidays great. Time to think.
Comments
cm - July 11, 2006 12:51 PM
They laugh at me here at work with my vintage '93 walkman - I need it to get the college station that doesn't come in on my clock radio (and we're not allowed to listen to internet radio :-( ).
gr - July 11, 2006 2:12 PM
You know, I was wondering about the satellite system I saw advertised yesterday--500 some bucks for a cool looking wooden style radio and cd player with 2 speakers, and I was thinking 'if I had satellite, I could listen to best of the 80s dance hits all day, or maybe there is some kind of all reggae station or punk only, or....'. Well, I miss my Boston radio stations, but WFNX and WXRV both play on the net, and like cm, I can listen to the local college radio station, here it is WICB. WICB may be the best, most crazy radio station ever. As Alan says, there is the element of surprise: although modern rock most of the time, if some guy wanders in for 2 hours with a stack of French accordian music or takes over Sunday morning with his favorite Broadway show tunes.....and no ads ever.
Anyway, I think that the fun is to own cds of your favorite tunes then mix it up on the radio. And dang it, I would rather budget for beer and cheese.
cm, I think you should hire a labor relations lawyer. That is cruel and unusual manager-employee treatment. I say sue big-corps ass...
cm - July 11, 2006 2:43 PM
I'm saving my fight for the 35-hour work week. :-) I do miss my Monday morning celtic show out of Austin - it's always nice to start the week with a little chair dancing.
Alan - July 12, 2006 9:37 AM
This article in last Sunday's NYT speaks to this half-baked idea I have. By teaching that community requires a lack of substance and provides ultimate control to each over who is accepted (not to mention never having to find out who is smelly or shy) these technologies are eroding something key, feeding the atheist materialist vacuum that seems to be at the heart of the new civically-acceptable faith-ette of the new PC.
Jay Currie - July 12, 2006 9:17 PM
You might want to chack out my post about Chris Anderson's new book about The Long Tail. http://jaycurrie.info-syn.com/tickling-the-long-tail/
the point being that the idea of everybody listening to or watching the same thing is dead. Now people can cluster around Hiberian drinking songs set to a trance background. Those clusters are the beginning of an entirely new way of taking in the culture. And bets are it is going to be free or freeish.
Satradio is going to get killed by wifi enabled ipods streaming whatever the hell I want to listen to.
Alan - July 13, 2006 9:09 AM
It is interesting that it is not main street media that is being effected - as all the negatives of that continue - but mass media. There is no doubt that there is an allegation of "clustering" but really it is only isolationism. No one clusters around you or I, Jay - clustering like that is when you had everyone listening to punk or metal or Christian rock. Clustering is what occurred from 1950 to 2000 pop culture. "Hits" culture died long ago to anyone with an interest off the top 40...which includes everyone with an iPod now. <p>This technology gives much less than clustering. And to what end? Pop culturism is a weak structure upon which to build anything. Where do people gather, do things together, achieve? It is all "entertain us" passivity. What happens to values within the culture? Writing like <i>The Long Tail</i> does not address this with any capability as it is all positivist rah-rah. Analysis has to include what is lost.