The FCC today released a Public Notice reminding the permittees and licensees of LPTV stations, Class A LPTV stations, and TV translator stations that the Filing Window for Digital Companion Channels opens on June 19, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. ET. ...

Hip-Hop icon Jay Z announced last week that Emmis’ Power 106 (KPWR-FM, Los Angeles) and HOT 97 (WQHT-FM, New York) have teamed up with Apple iTunes to offer full integration of the iTunes Music Store into their websites.

“This is a BIG thing,” Jay Z stated. “What I love about it is…10-15 yrs ago…they said hip hop was a fad… And when you get something like this happening… It’s an amazing thing!”

Vice President of Emmis Programming Jimmy Steal said, “On Power106.fm and HOT97.com, listeners now have the ability to search, browse and buy all of their favorite Power 106 and HOT 97 songs directly from the iTunes Music Stores featured on our websites.”

HOT 97 Program Director John Dimick added, “Now, when listeners hear new music on our stations, a countdown, or mix they won’t have to work hard to find it, they just visit our station websites.”

“We will have FULL control of the storefront itself,” said Rey Mena, Vice President of Emmis Interactive. “Therefore, we can feature any artist WE want to feature. Since each storefront represents Power 106 and HOT 97’s playlists, they will feature what is relevant to their listeners. In addition, if you want to know what Big Boy, Funkmaster Flex or other Power 106 and HOT 97 DJs are listening to, you can find it on our websites and purchase it directly from the iTunes Music Stores.”

Bridge Ratings has done a consumer perceptual study on HD Radio. The following chart shows the responses to the question: “How satisfied are you with your HD radio experience?”

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I’ve been practically preaching for years about the need for radio to reach out to the computer desktop and even went so far as to build a private-label instant messaging platform. In his latest article for iMedia Connection, WeatherBug’s Andy Jedynak drives this point home.

If you’re a media brand, it’s nice to have a big audience. Nice to have lots of “eyeballs” to sell. Nice to have a great story to tell, and the kind of strong reach that can really help the advertiser. With the massive shift of eyeballs to internet, it’s been tough for the traditional media folks to keep their story intact, but those of us on the digital side are now largely pacing well when it comes to the eyeballs we have and can sell profitably. Just when business is looking good, I’m here to tell you how those eyeballs you and your advertisers count on could soon get elusive.

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Labelling the lawsuit as “meritless”, XM has posted an open letter on their website to the RIAA in repsonse to last week’s lawsuit over recording devices.

XM states the new portable devices they’ve released are completely legal and that the RIAA has in effect filed a lawsuit to stop people’s “ability to choose when and where you can listen”. Seeing the lawsuit as “meritless”. XM also compares products like the Pionner Inno to other devices which have recorded copyrighted programming for personal use.

Link to Letter

Last Tuesday the RIAA filed a lawsuit seeking $150,000 for every song recorded by XM Satellite consumers using new receivers that have built-in recording capability.

The recording industry accuses XM Satellite Radio of “massive wholesale infringement” because of a $400 iPod-like device that allows XM customers to record up to 50 hours of music and automatically parse recordings by song and artist. The “Inno” is sold under the slogan, “Hear it, click it, save it.”

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Major League Baseball Advanced Media has recently paired with Burbank, CA-based CenterStage, part of an unexpected and growing digital alliance between baseball and song. As part of the deal, MLB Advanced Media will power the freshly-launched rehearsals.com, which will showcase artists in a behind-the-scenes format. CenterStage houses a massive rehearsal and production facility for all facets of the entertainment industry, and the MLB deal will allow the company to leverage that presence online. Rehearsals.com will deliver up-close looks at artists as they prepare for concert tours, television appearances & recording sessions. Streaming performances, music news, and weekly profiles with musicians will also be part of the mix.

The New Cars, Earth, Wind & Fire, Panic Channel, the Pussycat Dolls and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are some of the artists that will be included in the new offering. “CenterStaging’s strategic mission is to capture a piece of the worldwide multibillion dollar digital marketplace,” said CenterStaging CEO Roger Paglia. With that in mind, the choice of MLB Advanced Media not exactly surprising. “They have shown an extraordinary ability to create long-term business and revenue growth through the delivery of streaming video and other advanced forms of online programming and e-commerce,” Paglia added. Since its launch in 2001, MLB.com has attracted more than seven million daily viewers, leading to tangential plays into entertainment. Just recently, the company brokered a deal with Signatures Network to power destinations for Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, and Fleetwood Mac.

In an early look at a new Bridge Ratings perceptual study designed to better understand the current behavior of listeners to traditional radio, over three quarters of those interviewed* say that their local AM/FM stations are providing what they need in their daily and weekly radio listening.

Link to Study

Arbitron / Edison sub-titles the study “On-Demand Media Explodes” after examining consumer trends of media-on-demand.

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Presentation Graphs