This initiative from Converse is very cool and it’s such a great way for a brand to show some empathy and humanity while getting PR.

Converse the footwear brand has built a recording studio in NYC. Artists can use the studio to record their album in exchange for promotion for Converse.
Revenues and rights are for the artists, and Converse is targeting to get a lot positive PR with this cool initiative.

Here are the FAQs from Converse about the free recording studio:

Will I own the music I record at Converse Rubber Tracks?
Yes. You’ll have the option to give Converse limited rights to your music so we can publish it on Converse.com and affiliated Converse sites and our presence on social media sites.

How much does it cost?
Nothing. Recording at Converse Rubber Tracks is free.

Will Converse Rubber Tracks supply a sound engineer for my recording session?
Yes, we have a staff of our own qualified sound engineers. If you’re interested in using your own sound engineer or producer—and you’ve been accepted—we can discuss.

Are all genres of music welcome?
Absolutely.

What equipment will Converse provide?
There’s too much gear to list here. If you want the full breakdown, send us a note and we’ll shoot the info back to you.

If you want to see more go to the Converse Rubber Tracks website

The evolution of digital music distribution into a 3 minute video.
You need to see this!

Watch the Evolution of Music here

Akon’s Hitlab is a new syndicated weekly radio program being broadcast on KISS FM Toronto (among several other stations in Canada, and soon in the U.S.). Hosted by a veritable Hip Hop power house, Akon, who has collaborated with dozens of top names in music (Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, and Snoop Dogg, to name a few), Hitlab fuses Top 40 dance hits, talented, new, up-and-coming artists, and one of a kind access to celebrities and recording artists.

First, let’s talk about quality. Akon’s Hitlab is produced by the uber talented David Magro (who has over 20 years experience in production, and has worked with VIRGIN RADIO, CILQ (Q 107), CFNY (102.1 THE EDGE), CFXJ (THE FLOW 93.5), Z 103, and CHFI. Listeners can’t help but stay tuned in as songs and celebs intermix seamlessly, and they get a healthy helping of the dance hits they crave.

It’s not often one gets to attend a party being DJ’d by a celebrity– but that’s exactly what listening to Akon’s Hitlab feels like. The audience gets an all access pass to some of the biggest names in pop music. It is truly a two hour block of all-star radio. Listeners become instant, and insatiable fans and are enthralled at being privy to exclusive interviews with Akon and their other favorite artists.

Of course this show is fun for pop culture enthusiasts and music lovers alike, however, it’s also very exciting for new talent. Akon’s Hitlab is also a showcase for up-and-coming talent.

Finally, the Hitlab radio show provides listeners with something new that they will consistently keep tuning in for, multiple paths for engagement outside the station (both online and in the real world), and presents new opportunities for sponsors and advertisers to engage with an actively participating and interested audience.

Listen Here

Listen here how the number one music radio network NRJ in France has managed to keep the music flow on-air with great production values.

Outstanding results for the SBS radio team in Romania, the radio cluster is in serious raise since 2009.

Kiss FM the Romanian CHR TOP40 network is now number one in cume and number one music radio network in market share. Kiss FM went from 10.9% share in the first survey of 2009 to 15.3 in the first survey of 2011. In cume Kiss FM growth is from 1.8 million listeners to 2.7 million from 2009 to 2011.

Magic FM the AC network raised its audience market share from 1.1% in 2009 to 3.3%, and its cume from 201,000 to 508,000.

Rock FM has changed its name and format seven months ago and gained 50% more listeners in cume and 50% in market share.

It is always a joy to see such a great team winning with all their radio stations. Well done guys!!!

SBS has broadcasting services in Scandinavia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, Romania, and the United Kingdom. SBS was controlled by funds advised by two private equity firms, Permira and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. Telegraaf Media Groep N.V. (TMG) of the Netherlands was also a shareholder in SBS, with a 20% equity interest. In 2005, SBS was bought by the equity firms Permira and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). They also bought the German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Media in early 2007 and on 27 June 2007 it was announced that ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired the SBS Broadcasting group for 3.3 billion euros from the joint owners. ProSiebenSat.1 Media became the second largest broadcaster of Europe with 48 TV stations.

SBS was founded by Harry E. Sloan who bought a stake in the Copenhagen station Kanal 2 and TVNorge. In 1991, Sloan bought the Swedish Nordic Channel, which was soon renamed Kanal 5 and became the third largest commercial broadcaster in the country. The company was originally known as “TV1”, but was renamed “Scandinavian Broadcasting Systems” in 1991. After expanding into Benelux and Eastern Europe, the name was changed again, this time to SBS.

Hope you will enjoy this podcast as much as I have enjoyed being part of it. It’s the Earshot Creative Review recorded in March at the RadioDays Europe conference held in Copenhagen and features eminent radio leaders:

Clive Dickens, Absolute Radio‘s Chief Operating Officer. In this podcast, recorded before reports circulated of a possible sale of Absolute Radio, Clive explains how he considers the radio group’s imaging and production to be a significant part of its value.

And Mark Barber of the UK’s Radio Advertising Bureau, a key figure behind RadioGuage who was in Copenhagen to introduce the measurement service to broadcasters in new territories. You’ll hear what RadioGuage can teach station producers.

Other discussion themes include remote working and achiveing flow in CHR formats, plus we all listen in awe of work by production legend Jeff Thomas.

In addition to our chat you’ll hear bags of production from Absoulte Radio and Absolute 80s, KIISand Kiss, and RadioGuage-proven ads from CocoPops and Autoglass.

Listen to the podcast

Dubset developed a technology called “MixScan.” Mix Scan identifies songs automatically within mixes and automate the reporting process.

DJs can post mixes on their DJ profiles. Listeners can follow their favorite DJs as well and buy individual mixes and tracks.

With this technology DJs are going to be able to create mixes and fairly compensate copyright holders.
dubset.com

MOG recently announced new integrations with BMW’s MINI USA vehicle. We need (the Radio industry) to always remember that people turn to radio for a specific point of view, unique style, and ability to produce content of real quality.

If you are running a radio station, a radio group or a cluster, continue to nurture the team players who are creating the product, the passionated radio people, the ones who are focusing on the “art” of producing the station, the ones who are really feeling the audience and making a better station daily.

Yes, your music mix is important and your positioning too, but that’s not enough. It’s time to bring back the art. Radio is the right balance between art and Science. I am a big fan of research however it’s only a piece of the big picture, production/imaging is another important piece of the big picture.

Thank your for all your feedback about the evolution of the radio program director mission.
Article here

Blue Revolution in the UK has used the article. Find here “The program director’s mission description has evolved!” article in the ezine from Blue Revolution in a pdf document.

Download the PDF here

Great news for the radio business today as a new survey from the UK reveals that radio is the perfect media to promote internet brands and services.

The RAB (Radio Advertising Bureau) study claims that radio listeners exposed to radio ads for a specific brand, are 52% more likely to include that brand in their internet browsing.

According the research, carried out by Dollywagon Media Science and Other Lines of Enquiry for theRAB, radio is four times more effective than other forms of advertising for web browsing.

Mark Barber, planning director at the Radio Advertising Bureau: “This is the first ever study quantifying how offline media influences the actual behavior of consumers online. Previous studies have highlighted radio’s complementary characteristics with the internet but this is the first piece of insight that shows the extent to which radio advertising drives online success for brands. The findings are highly significant for brands in markets where the internet provides the crucial final stage of customer buying – radio advertising offers these brands the chance to “turbo charge” this part of the marketing process”.

In a media world increasingly dominated by the internet and search engines, how do you ensure customers are specifically seeking out your brand online?

The new RAB research study – ‘Radio: The Online Multiplier’ – suggests that an answer lies in the use of offline media, like radio.

This is the first major research study to quantify how actual exposure to offline media influences actual consumer interaction with brands online, and reveals how:

- exposure to radio advertising boosts brand browsing by 52%
- radio is 4x more cost-effective than other media in this respect
- advertisers can optimise response through radio creative development

RAB website