Quick Takes

stephen hill : spatial relations: HD is DOA

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Stephen Hill looks at the shortcomings of HD Radio as compared to other emerging technologies: “Of the major usage trends that are driving the growth of Internet radio — new ‘long tail’ niche and alternative content, on-demand delivery, user-created content, podcasting (subcriptions and portability), and time-shifting — only time-shifting is even doable with HD, and then only in a relatively crippled way due to memory and interface constraints. Even this undermines the one incontestable advantage of conventional radio: ease of use.” UPDATE: Dennis Haarsager chips in: “If ‘HD’ is going to work, we need patience, some advanced features beyond the ones we now have that are implied in the mark-up language, some smart business thinking about multicasting and PAD features — and some luck. Oh, and a better name.”

Quick Takes

Jake Shapiro on listener support for new media

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Jake Shapiro ponders the place of voluntary financial support in a new-media environment: “. . . [E]ven if the underwriting revenue does the trick, I think there’s something important to continue and to redefine in the invitation for voluntary support.”

Quick Takes

Profile 2006

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Impress your friends at parties this summer with your encyclopedic knowledge of NPR’s Profile 2006! Tell them over hors d’oeuvres what percentage of NPR listeners play bingo (2.83 percent)! While smoking a fine cigar, let drop that 29.32 percent of NPR listeners have bought underwear in the last year. You’ll be the toast of the town. Now get reading!

Programs/Content

Once the feisty advocate for indies, AIVF fades to black

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The Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers, a 30-year-old group that coordinated activism and provided networking and training for independent filmmakers, shuttered its offices and shut down operations in late June. The Manhattan-based association told members in March that it faced a financial crisis, but an emergency fundraising appeal didn’t generate enough contributions to maintain operations. The AIVF Board is looking for another group to take over publication of The Independent, AIVF’s monthly magazine. Although the board considered a scenario of eventually resuming operations, it’s unlikely that the association will revive, said Bart Weiss, organizer of the Dallas Video Festival and board president. “I wish it could, but I don’t see how it could happen,” he said.

Quick Takes

Ex-WUOM salesman guilty

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A former underwriting rep for Michigan Radio in Ann Arbor was convicted July 26 of conspiracy to commit embezzlement, the Ann Arbor Times reported. Jeremy Nordquist was one of three former employees tried in the investigation. (Earlier coverage in Current.)

Quick Takes

MoveOn.org targets ‘NPR-PBS 24’

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MoveOn.org is soliciting donations for a campaign to “Beat the NPR-PBS 24”–the 24 members of Congress up for reelection who voted to cut pubcasting’s federal aid. “With your help, together we can retire enough of these representatives to tip the balance on this issue—and send a signal that cutting public broadcasting comes with a political price,” writes MoveOn.org’s “Political Action Team” in an e-mail solicitation [Via Indybay.org].