Gigs & Bytes: Podcasting Goes Into Orbit
We’re talking about podcasts, and how an Infinity station in San Francisco plans on becoming the first radio station in history to rely on podcasts for programming content.
Podcasts are audio files distributed via the Net that can contain material on just about any subject under the sun. Often produced by amateurs, podcasts quickly became popular among owners of digital music players, if only because the podcasts offered an alternative from just slapping on the ol’ earbuds and listening to the latest Eminem CD. Sounding much like specialty radio shows, the files were eventually dubbed “podcasts,” a combination of “broadcast” and “iPod” – although most of the files were prepped in the MP3 format.
The Sirius podcast show, set to debut on May 13th on the satellite radio service’s talk radio channel 148, will be hosted by Adam Curry. Curry helped create the technological tools that make podcasting possible.
You may remember Curry as the MTV host who took it upon himself to register and promote the domain name MTV.com back in the early days of the World Wide Web. After a contract dispute, Curry left his job at MTV, but took the MTV.com domain name with him, thus resulting in one of the first civil cases over an Internet domain name. MTV and Curry eventually settled out of court, thus clearing the way for the MTV.com you know today.
Elvis Presley Enterprises recently launched what the company is referring to as a new “affinity group” and “premier online community” for Elvis fans everywhere.
It’s called Elvis Insiders, and to kick off the membership drive, Elvis Presley Enterprises is pushing a rather unique item to entice Elvis’s legion of fans to pony up the $29.99 membership fee. It’s a webcam focused on the view seen from Elvis’ bedroom window.
However, seeing what The King would see if only he hadn’t permanently left the building back in 1977 is only one of the many features offered by Elvis Insiders. Along with the webcam, the new service gives members the opportunity to dig through the Graceland archives and view rarely or never before seen photos, video clips, artifacts and documents. Members will receive quarterly news letters as well as invitations to private parties and events. Check it out at ElvisInsiders.com.
How do you top yourself when you’ve already generated press by buying unusual memorabilia such as a Doritos chip shaped like the Pope’s hat, or the petrified remains of a suspected extra terrestrial alien? If you’re online casino GoldenPalace.com, you reach out for a slice of the cult of personality known as Britney Spears and snag the pregnancy test that allegedly confirmed the pop tart’s current maternal condition.
In addition to delivering gambling services to betting-starved Netizens, GoldenPalace.com often purchases items of questionable authenticity, such as a frying pan purportedly bearing the likeness of Jesus Christ and a cheeseburger allegedly containing the image of the Virgin Mary.
Needless to say, the Internet community was more than amazed when the online gambling house announced that it had purchased the pregnancy test from an Ottawa radio station. Supposedly, the test was found in a trash can where Britney and her husband, Kevin Federline, were staying a couple of months ago, and then sold to the radio station’s morning show. The station then sold it to GoldenPalace.com, with proceeds going to two charities, The Easter Seals Society and the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation.
“It’s great that GoldenPalace.com took the pregnancy test off of our hands,” said New Hot 89.9 radio personality Jeff Mauler. “Not only are they helping out a couple of deserving charities, but they are also getting the pee out of our station. That’s always a good thing.”
