Stuttgart Station Goes Visual

Baden-Württemberg broadcaster bigFM announced last week that they are set to become first in Germany to offer 'Visual Radio,' a download system offered by Spodradio. It is not the 'Visual Radio' system offered by Nokia and Hewlett-Packard (HP), launched earlier this year in Finland, the UK and radio station FFH in Frankfurt, Germany. One might think the lawyers would have checked out trade names.

Spodradio is supplying the Visual Radio interface as it does for Podcasting. Their interest is selling downloadable content, promoted by radio stations, or anybody else, distributed through mobile phones – the ultimate cash-register. Spodradio’s Visual Radio requires internet-enabled mobile phones. Spodradio, based in Stuttgart, received financial backing recently from BayTech Venture Capital and sees satellite radio distribution as its primary competitor, according to a BayTech press release.

In the joint public announcement, Baden-Württemberg media regulator LfK president Thomas Langheinrich talked about revitalizing radio: “In view of iPod and MPG3, where everyone can download their favorite music, radio must become more than only music.” Other private broadcasters in south-west Germany may soon offer the service, according to Langheinrich.

Product confusion notwithstanding, broadcasters – and every other media producer – know “broadcasting” is yesterdays news as younger, technically savvy consumers, with disposable incomes are buying into mobile services providing what they want, when they want it, where they want it. Music television channels like MTV and Viva relished the opportunity to “kill the radio star” two decades ago. Now they are finding music radio fighting back with a new weapon. – Michael Hedges November 13, 2005

Keywords:visual radio,radio in Germanymobile media

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