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Media Trend Watching With Media Execs: The digital future is still unclear
Executives in the music, Internet and technology industries agreed during the annual Digital Music Forum conference in New York earlier this month that they are still experimenting with digital-music business models, but some key players strongly disagreed with some of the experiments undertaken to date.
Among the highlights:
• Universal Music Group executive Larry Kenswil scolded XM and Sirius Satellite Radio broadcasters for launching time-shifting satellite-radio/MP3 players, which he called “cannibal machines.”
• XM senior VP Jon Zellner doubted that terrestrial radio stations that simulcast multiple digital programs on HDRadio will lessen listener declines to local (or terrestrial) radio.
• Music Choice president David Del Beccaro warned of a consumer backlash if consumers are forced to pay multiple subscription fees to get the same content delivered to multiple platforms, such as PCs, set-top boxes, satellite radios and cellular phones. (note: I agree!)
• CBS Radio programming president Rob Barnett pointed to MTV's initial launch as a commercial-free cable channel and successful transition to a channel with commercials. HD Radio stations plan to offer commercial-free simulcasts “for two years, at least,” he said.
• However, Motorola senior product manager LaSean Smith wasn't so sure. Smith, whose responsibilities include the launch of Motorola's iRadio service, warned that “once people experience commercial-free music, they will not go back.”
related article here
posted by Unknown @ Monday, March 13, 2006,
