Singing the Sad Song of Internet Radio

David Card | March 09, 2008, 06:42 PM

I've been listening to a Live365 online dixieland radio station for two and a half hours and have heard the same three ads -- plus house ads for Live365's premium service -- for the whole time. (Needless to say, I minimized the player and so haven't seen the banner ads.) I should probably say "Gawd bless you, Premier Inc., NAPA, and Colgate/Irish Spring," but it's a pretty sad state of online audio affairs. Goodness knows, I'm rooting for ya.

The promise of Internet radio:

- National, but target-able audience
- Potential for genres that couldn't survive in terrestrial radio
- At-work audience who aren't in their cars

The reality:

- Fragmented audiences
- Lack of interest from local advertisers (other than local simulcasts)
- Continuing knock-down, dragged-out fight between Webcasters (DiMA) and copyright board royalty mavens (and, of course, the record labels and music publishers)