Posts in Entertainment & Leisure
Is the end nigh for Pandora and Internet radio?
Depressing news via Alan Patrick at the Broadstuff blog that pioneer Internet music discovery service Pandora may be on the verge of folding.
As Alan says, “it’s a real pity if this happens.”
Sadly, the odds for Pandora’s survival don’t look good. And judging by the comments of founder Tim Westergren in the Washington Post, he sounds (understandably) like a man who really hasn’t got the energy to continue the fight. The double whammy of being forced to retrench the service back to the US and Canada only and trying to reach an acceptable compromise on royalties has taken its toll. More...
The Scalper's Got my Baby
For an interesting use of video check out those produced by Max Deale, author of the self-published book Sold Out, So What! The Secrets that High-Priced Ticket Brokers and Scalpers DON'T want you to Know!
This excellent little book (you can read it in an hour) is for fans of concerts and sporting events and teaches the art of scoring tickets to sold out events and always sitting in the best seats in the house. I've been going to concerts since I was 15 and had accidentally discovered and used some of Deale's techniques. However, this funny and well-written little book gave me some new ways to score tickets. More...
Oh, beehive! Rainier PR Facebook survey finds Amy-antics dullest summer story
Arnchajustsickofit? Bloody Amy Winehouse all over our papers – whether her feet are bleeding or her eyes are rolling – Londoners find ‘news’ about her a real turn-off, according to a survey we conducted on Facebook to gauge opinion on this year’s slew of summer stories.Given a wide choice of options for what they viewed as the dullest long-running story of the summer, 48 per cent of the 1,000 Londoners we quizzed on Facebook said ongoing headlines about the Camden Crooner were more boring than Ronaldo’s on-off move to Madrid, the credit crunch, celebrity break-ups and whether we’ll finally see the back of Gordon Brown any time soon. More...
Mobile Ad Watch July 2008
Another month, another innovative form of mobile web advertising catches our eye. The new T-mobile mobile web portal has been branded in conjunction with the new release of the new Batman film ‘The Dark Knight’. This is the first time we’ve actually seen a takeover on an operator portal. I must say it is visually engaging and also offers some above average content, including a free trailer. Some operators are still charging users for this type of sponsored content. Doh! The takeover concept has also been used to promote the film in magazine and newspaper ads, so an interesting case of the mobile mechanic reflecting the approach in other channels (which actually works!). More...
Mobile Music - Part 3 - Full Track Downloads
To follow along the theme of Music related blog pieces, I wanted to look at why full track downloads on your phone haven’t really taken off yet. Having worked in the industry, I know there are a number of quite substantial hurdles you need to get over before you can get a mobile full track download service up and running.
Commercial
From a commercial point of view, launching a music service is quite a challenge. You need to put a Digital Rights Management system in place, as well as negotiate with a large number of record companies. Getting good deals with enough music owners is the only way to achieve a cost effective service that offers a decent catalogue of tracks. More...
Mobile Music - Part 3 - Why have full track downloads failed to reach mass adoption?
To follow along the theme of Music related blog pieces, I wanted to write my analysis of why full track downloads have failed to deliver huge volumes for Mobile Operators. I spent 3 years Programme Managing the France Telecom (FT) Orange Music service deployment, across the European and Emerging footprint. Below is my view of some of the areas that have affected the service uptake;
Digital Rights Management: The long drawn out debate around Digital Rights Management, was an issue from day one. Investment both in terms of cost and time had an impact on the rollout. FT developed their own entity specifically to create a DRM agent. More...
Mobile Music Week - Part Two - Music Marketing
Those managing sales of recording artists face two major challenges, acquire new fans that will buy the product and sell more product to existing fans.
It’s not as easy as it might sound. Developing a relationship with a record buyer is tricky - most of them want to go to the gig or buy the album, end of story. Why should they want to enter into a dialogue with the label, what’s in it for them?
We faced this challenge when we started working for World Circuit Records, the label famous for Buena Vista Social Club, amongst others. One of their primary marketing tools is live performance, and their artists spend a lot of time touring the world, appearing at festivals and gigs. More...
The Free Communications Group and the Death of Broadcasting
"Broadcasting is really too important to be left to the broadcasters". So said Tony Benn, Member of Parliament, to constituents in 1968. That same year, the Free Communications Group (FCG) was founded to demand "democratic control of all media".
Lets skip the next forty years' analysis of broadcasting motives and actions that so preoccupied these politicians, broadcasters and journalists. In 2008, convergence has emerged as a force of nature, irrevocably changing "broadcasting" globally, and the FCG might just be smiling if it still existed. More...
What Brands Can Learn From Working Dog
* Rob Sitch in The Hollowmen
Companies, brands and marketers could learn a thing or two from Melbourne-based entertainment production house, Working Dog.