Demented Podcasters Sound The Retreat (May 22, 2008)

New Idol Crowned (May 22, 2008)

The Wires (May 22, 2008)

TV Tech: Survey: U.S. Blu-ray Penetration Nears 10 Percent. While the survey reveals a continuing heavy presence of standard DVD players in the home (87 percent), about 4 percent now own standalone Blu-ray players.

Mexico clears border-station HD Radio. Mexican regulators are giving permission to stations within 200 miles of the U.S. border to begin transmitting in HD using the iBiquity technology. CoFeTel says it will allow border stations to remain competitive with American stations

XM Satellite Radio will carry three different broadcasts of every game of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Final as the Detroit Red Wings take on the Pittsburgh Penguins starting May 24th at 8 pm ET. Hockey fans nationwide can hear the Pittsburgh Penguins broadcast, the Detroit Red Wings broadcast, and the NHL Radio broadcast for every game live on XM. The XM channel guide for the Stanley Cup Final is online at http://www.xmradio.com/nhl. The NHL broadcast of the Stanley Cup Final will air on XM Channel 204, the home team broadcast will air on XM Channel 205 along with the away team broadcast on XM Channel 206.

Inside Music Media: From Jerry Del Colliano -- I received a very inspirational email from a long time friend that has prompted me to put together the essential qualities of the next generation of program directors for terrestrial radio. In doing so I am taking into account that radio today isn’t what it was 15 or 20 years ago and that, like it or not, radio is now consolidated. That many of the CEOs and COOs are clueless about content and even marketing, but still - I think I’ve got the PD of the future for you. It’s also a lesson on how consolidators should handle a talented program director

Dees Comes to XM: On-air icon RICK DEES will now see his RICK DEES WEEKLY TOP 40 countdown show on XM SATELLITE RADIO and its over 9 million subscribers. These shows will also be available to DIRECTV subscribers and those renting cars equipped with XM Satellite radios.

1360 Still Sports Talk (May 21, 2008)

The Wires (May 21, 2008)

John Rook: The marvel of modern day technology, satellite delivered TV and the internet now allows me to live in my own little sliver of paradise and still be in contact with the cities I once called home and the dozens of locations I had visited in my many years as a radio consultant and in my travels nationally. Instantly I can watch local television from distant cities or listen to radio that was until recently thought to be unavailable. No longer am I saddled with fewer than a dozen “local” radio stations, that in reality are no longer “local” but distributors of nationally syndicated programming. WiFi, with its delivery of thousands of radio stations and hundreds of internet offerings, has really greatly expanded my radio menu (read more - www.JohnRook.com)

Happy Hare: I am certain that the editors of the San Diego Union Tribune were embarrassed by their own casualty, that of the Internet radio station SignOnRadio. No airy hand waving here. The death of the station was trumpeted nationwide by writers exuding what the Germans call Shadenfreude, that warm feeling one gets while watching the embarrassment of others. I was a minor witness to that sad epoch, but you will not get anything out of me. However, I will describe what happened in a roundabout way, but only as a vehicle to suggest remedies for future projects. When he was planning the broadcast schedule of the now defunct operation, Ron James, then the new Content Manager of SignOn Radio’s day to day operation approached me to go on the air Monday through Friday in the afternoon prime time slot

Top 5 Headlines Of The Week (May 12-18, 2008)

4. Sue Simmons f--ks up on live TV.

3. 105.7 flips calls to XHPRS

2. Heat wave again in San Diego.

1. DFSX Returns to Streaming!

The Wires (May 20, 2008)

Sun Journal: From Glenn Gamboa -- Radio - like its symbiotic partner, the music industry, and its mainstream brethren, broadcast television and newspapers - is in serious need of new ideas. After years of reaping the benefits of consolidation and cost-cutting, radio is in desperate straits. According to the Future of Music Coalition, the amount of time Americans spend listening to the radio is at a 27-year low and the number of listeners has dropped 17 percent in the last 13 years

Inside Music Media: From Jerry Del Colliano -- All too often lately the major broadcast groups have been firing able and talented people to save money. Last week CBS pulled off a double firing of a PD and morning personality with surgical precision. WYSP, Philadelphia morning jock Kidd Chris lost his gig because of a March 21st in-studio guest named Lady Gash who sang the song “Schwoogies” to the tune of Blondie’s “Call Me”

Arizone Star: From Richard Pachter -- The name "Clear Channel" became shorthand for everything wrong with terrestrial (non-satellite) radio: Lack of diversity, repetitious music, boring programming, too many commercials, censorship, jingoism. In a previous life, I was very familiar with radio, first as a record promotion man and later as a marketing executive at a trade publication for radio managers

Radio Rumor: Jack To Get Blown Up? (May 19, 2008)

If that's so, then it would be the second time a Jack got blown up in San Diego. The first time was back in the 80s when a restauraunt blew up Jack of Jack in the Box in an overhaul of its image.

Commentary: why would we want to hear KFMB-AM on the FM side? What's going to be on the AM side? Anything short of All Comedy Radio or a rock and talk format that includes Tom Leykis isn't going to work in San Diego.