If you enjoy listening to radio stations over the internet, then you may have been downcast when MediaCorp Radio stopped its online broadcasting of radio stations in March 2009, due to copyright restrictions.
You can now take heart, though - those radio stations' internet simulcasts are once again free-to-cyberspace :D. This article: http://www.mediacorpradio.sg/ shows that MediaCorp Radio recently relaunched its 987FM, Class 95FM, Lush 99.5FM and Y.E.S. 93.3FM stations' online counterparts. The media giant now has licensing allowing it to continue broadcasting music in cyberspace.
Through radio stations' online simulcasts, you can:
- assess music through stations' websites easily,
- assess music from anywhere with an internet connection conveniently, and
- assess additional information like song title and artist name easily.
The shifting of radio to cyberspace demonstrates how new media overtakes traditional media's capabilities.
It also shows how new media can be more of a marketing tool than an opponent of its traditional ancestor. MediaCorp's online simulcasts reach a larger audience through cyberspace, but link web-users back and highlight awareness to the traditional radio stations.
Perhaps new media is not so much a threat to traditional media, but a tool with which traditional media can expand.
Still, people who listen to radio online would probably not be encouraged to buy a tradional radio set. They would instead appreciate and expect the benefits of online radio, or radio through new media, more.
Is traditional media branching out only to eventually have to convert to new media?
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Hi Aubrey! Interesting post. I used to tune in to online radio when I was in secondary school, but most of the time, there were problems with the buffering so I never really enjoyed it very much. But good point raised - that perhaps the new media is not so much a threat to traditional media, rather a tool to expand the traditinal media. In a way, I think the concept of "if you can't beat them, join them" comes into the picture. New media can be a threat to traditional media unless it is recruited on the side of traditional media. Something I never really thought of until you raised this point. (:
ReplyDeleteHi Jovita, thanks! "If you can't beat them, join them" is a good illustration of a media company's choices. With new media having a worldwide grasp, media companies can't survive through traditional media alone, and have to develop online counterparts.
ReplyDeleteThe strange thing is that media companies are gaining publicity through its new media counterparts, but at the same time seem to be dying out. I listen to Class 95FM online, but it has never persuaded me to turn on my traditional media set more often. I guess at the end of the day new media helps promote a media company, but not so much the traditional media formats that company uses!
Hi Aubrey, interesting topic there. I think the ability of a medium to adapt and change to fit market trends is really important in surviving. Taking steps like this shows that the powers that be at Mediacorp do practice some forward thinking, and who knows, we could see local radio stations that exist purely on the Internet some time soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Aubrey! I think we should USE them (as promotional tools) if we can't beat them! :P Additionally, I don't think traditional media will necessarily convert to new media if they are marketed alongside the latter as accompaniment rather than competition.
ReplyDelete-- Tan Su Yi Kay 0703121D T04
Hi Shea, thanks! I agree that adaptability to market trends is important for survival, especially in this age of technological development. A company would have to consider market trends in traditional and new media, as well as those among the various traditional/new media avenues. This way they can best adapt to their target audience.
ReplyDeleteHi Kay! Haha - "if we can't beat them, use them!" After reading your blog on magazine companies who have print versions and market themselves online, I agree that there are ways traditional and new media can work together without traditional media phasing out. It's not hopeless for traditional media after all!
I feel that New Media definitely WILL overtake traditional media, it's just a matter of time. Eventually, all our houses will be linked to the Internet, and the devices in our them will be connected. I guess this means that EVERYTHING will become on-demand. That's good, I guess, because it means that we don't have to watch anything we don't want!
ReplyDelete- assess music through stations' websites easily,
ReplyDelete- assess music from anywhere with an internet connection conveniently, and
- assess additional information like song title and artist name easily.
These 3 advantages of radio station's online simulcast are already enough to get me hooked!
Yes indeed, traditional media are slowly being converted to New Media. Now, even Television can be watched through the Internet(IPTV). What comes next?
Hey Aubrey:)
ReplyDeleteWell-explained post! For me, I still prefer the traditional radio rather than the online ones, perhaps because I am rather impatient when it comes to the loading time. Nevertheless, it is agreeable that new media is seen as a tool with which traditional media can expand.
I tune in to radio when I am on the way to school. I think having back the online radio is great. I need not to use other devices when I am using my computer. Traditional media can be fun and informative, with the online radio, we can enjoy both new and traditional media at the same time.
ReplyDelete