Taking Live Radio to a New Level

By Gregory Demetriades

Do you have your favorite morning radio program that gets you revved and going each and every day? You know the one, with the disc jockey that is informative and witty, or is yours wild and out of control, one of those "Morning Zoo" types? Radio personalities continue to thrive in many markets due to their charisma, morning-person appeal, and readiness to tackle subjects as varied as the presidential campaigns to the newest Britney Spears snafoo. Radio personalities seem to have enough personality to transcend the two-dimensional medium, so that listeners can almost visualize their facial expressions as they riff on some current topic or perhaps grill a naïve call-in listener who doesn't really know what they're getting themselves into. Exciting new innovations in live broadband media broadcasting are allowing today's DJs more options than ever before, using the Internet as a new and exciting, offshoot medium, filled with seemingly endless possibilities.

Many radio station managers, producers, and programming directors, are excited about the new options that are becoming available due to ever-evolving broadband technologies. Imagine, guy or gal-on-the-street interviews that are actually live and broadcast from the street corner as they are taking place. This might be a nightmare for network censors, but the realism and spontaneity would be present like never before. With multi-camera capability, split screen views could show the DJ as interviewer as well as the Joe or Jane Shmo chosen as interviewee. Online audience listeners now become viewers, and no longer need to imagine what is happening visually for they can now view it in real time on their computer monitor, laptop screen, and even mobile phone. The level of interactivity has been heightened as well. Morning show switchboards are now competing with Internet viewers, chatting with their favorite DJ, some even broadcasting their own image with personal webcam technology. Listeners who have never called in to a radio show in the past will surely feel drawn to participate in the action, due to the personal feel that live-image streaming capability provides.

National and local radio stations are entering the broadband broadcasting market in hopes of keeping their listeners interested and listening, as many believe radio has suffered from the influx of satellite and Internet radio stations. Perhaps the best option for tried and true, radio programming, is to be adaptable and change with budding new innovations made available through the research and development of broadband communications companies like Whiteblox, who have made it their business to improve media and entertainment in new and imaginative ways.

About the Author: Gregory Demetriades is Chief Executive Officer of Whiteblox, a leading provider of integrated broadband video solutions.