Showbiz Sandbox 125: Are Radio D.J.’s A Thing Of The Past?
November 7, 2011
Radio listenership has eroded over the past several years as consumers have adopted streaming music services such as Spotify and Pandora. To stay competitive and survive, Clear Channel, the nation’s largest radio station operator, shocked the industry this past week by firing dozens of local D.J.’s and replacing them with a national programming team. Indie-label artists and music fans are sure to suffer as radio playlists become more homogenized and less relevant.
Google has no plans to get into radio, however rumors have surfaced that they might be trying to add a cable television operation to their broadband project in Kansas. Launching and maintaining a cable television service is not exactly like running a search engine; it can be expensive, take years and ultimately lead to a lot of red ink.
Comedian Louis C.K. has shunned traditional cable altogether. He’s decided to broadcast his upcoming comedy concert directly to fans via the Internet, bypassing traditional television distribution.
Social media maven Karen Woodward returns to help us cover the week’s top entertainment news including an “X-Factor” lip synching controversy, a new talk show for Queen Latifah and Hugh Jackman’s latest success on Broadway.
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Scorsese Rousingly Endorses 3-D, Says Holograms Next
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/11/martin-scorsese-hugo-3d-hugo-release-reviews-butterfield-moretz-movie.html
Gil Cates Dies At 77; Producer, Director and Showman
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-gil-cates-20111102,0,1665997.story
18 Qualify For Best Animated Feature
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/18-qualify-for-best-animated-feature.html
Google Ponders Pay-TV Business
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405297020462190457701635267….
Louis C. K. Plans Online Broadcast of Comedy Concert
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/louis-c-k-plans-online-broadcast-of-comedy-concert/
Clear Channel Cutting More On-Air Talent Across The Country
http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/10/31/clear-channel-radio-layoffs/
Producer Explains Scrapping Funny Girl
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/05/theater/producer-explains-the-scrapping-of-funny-girl.html
Hugh Jackman Benefits From Broadway Box-office Inflation
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/11/hugh-jackman-back-on-broadway.html
Queen Latifah To Host Daytime Talk Show In 2013
http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/queen-latifah-to-host-daytime-talk-show-eyed-for-2013-from-sony-tv-overbrook/
Newspapers See Uptick In Digital Subscriptions
http://www.adweek.com/news/press/newspapers-see-uptick-digital-subscriptions-weekend-circulation-136238
EMI & EchoNest Create First Major Label “Open Sandbox” For Music Apps
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/11/emi-echonest-create-first-major-label-open-sandbox-for-music-apps.html
DreamWorks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg Considers Bold Expansion
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-jeffrey-katzenberg-distribution-paramount-256144
Andy Serkis Closes Big ‘Planet Of The Apes’ Deal
http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/andy-serkis-closes-big-planet-of-the-apes-deal-should-fox-campaign-for-oscar/
Warner Bros. Readying ‘Clash of the Titans 3’
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/clash-of-the-titans-3-warner-bros-256828
Lip Syncing Flub Surfaces On ‘X Factor’
http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/lip-syncing-storm-brews-on-x-factor/
FilmNation Unveils Back To Back Terrence Malick Films ‘Lawless’ And ‘Knight Of Cups’
http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/afm-filmnation-selling-terrence-malick-films-lawless-and-knight-of-cups/
Crown Reasserts Chopra Connection After Amazon Deal
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/49409-crown-reasserts-chopra-connection-after-amazon-deal.html
Musician’s Digital Performance Royalties At Risk
http://futureofmusic.org/blog/2011/10/28/musicians-digital-performance-royalties-risk
Video killed the radio star…and conglomerates killed the deejay. I love satellite radio and national shows like All Things Considered but the loss of the local deejay is almost as bad as the disappearing local newspaper.