Just Radio Only: The Shock Of The New

The Shock Of The New

Listening levels to streaming radio are soaring, and barriers to adoption are coming down. It's a whole new competitive arena for broadcasters, but it's also a whole new world of opportunities -- if you handle it right. Can streaming and podcasting create an entirely new radio network, and profit center, for your business?

This is the time to explore all the possibilities. Some markets are already covered by Wimax, and Internet radio is coming to the car -- fast. The Convergence 2010 panel on "The State of Online Audio," moderated by Kurt Hanson, can explain what new and rising audio distribution means to radio, and how you can capture that listening, and new revenue.

Hanson is one of the most respected and often-quoted experts in the field of online audio and its intersection with broadcast, and he'll be leading a panel that represents the forward thinkers in both broadcast and pure-play Internet radio:

John Gehron is a 40-plus-year radio vet who's made the move to online audio, at Hanson's AccuRadio.
Drew Horowitz brings the expertise that comes from overseeing operations for all seven Bonneville Radio markets.
Slacker's Jim Rondinelli is a music guy with a laser focus on what's happening in digital entertainment.
Livio Radio's Jake Sigal is an inventor with original ideas on audio tech and distribution.
Doug Sterne went from Clear Channel Online Music & Radio to head up sales at dominant 'Net-radio pureplay Pandora.

Moderator

Kurt Hanson is Publisher of the daily web-based RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter and is a leading expert in the field of new delivery mechanisms for radio, including Internet radio, satellite radio, HD Radio, and podcasting. He is also CEO of AccuRadio, the world's leading independent, multichannel Internet radio property, reaching nearly a million unique listeners per month with its 300-plus channels. Hanson developed his reputation in the radio industry as the founder and CEO of Strategic Media Research, a market research firm that he built into a $10 million business. In fall 1999, Hanson launched RAIN, which has become the leading voice for Internet radio worldwide. Hanson and his team launched AccuRadio in 2000 as an experimental site to demonstrate the capabilities of Internet radio; following a public launch during the Christmas 2002 season, AccuRadio became one of the top multichannel webcasters in the world. Earlier in his career, Hanson worked at various terrestrial radio stations, including WOKY/Milwaukee, WLS/Chicago, WDAI/Chicago, and WLUP/Chicago.

Panelists

John Gehron, COO of AccuRadio.com, is a respected radio programmer and executive with more than 40 years of industry experience. He launched the first-ever major-market FM Oldies stations, WOGL/Philadelphia and WCBS-FM/New York, and then spent 14 years as PD and VP/GM at WLS-AM & FM/Chicago. Gehron has also served as VP/GM of CBS Radio's WOGL/Boston and was a founding co-COO of American Radio Systems; when that company was sold to CBS, Gehron became a regional manager and, later, EVP/Programming for all of CBS Radio. More recently, he has been the cluster manager for Clear Channel/Chicago and GM of Harpo Radio. Gehron joined AccuRadio.com in January 2010 and is currently helping the company raise funds to market AccuRadio's more than over 480 personalizable music channels and to build a direct sales force for the company.

Drew Horowitz is COO/EVP at Bonneville Radio, overseeing operations for Bonneville's seven radio markets, and with other responsibilities including supervising Bonneville's HD Radio initiative. Horowitz joined WTMX Radio/Chicago as GSM in 1992 and was promoted to VP/GM in 1993. Before joining Bonneville, Horowitz was principal/COO of Lakeshore Communications, and he's also held management positions including VP/GM at WFRY/Chicago and at WUSN/Chicago.

Slacker Inc. SVP/Strategic Development Jim Rondinelli is a seasoned veteran of the digital entertainment industry. He started his career in music as a producer and mixer, achieving gold and platinum records for his work with artists like Matthew Sweet, Wilco, Everclear, and the Jayhawks. Rondinelli joined the management team of Internet music pioneer MP3.com before its public offering in 1999, and, after several years managing investments in entertainment and technology for a San Diego-based private venture fund, returned to music as SVP/Digital Strategy and Business Development for Warner Chappell Music Publishing.

Jake Sigal is CEO at Livio Radio. Having launched more than 20 successful products into the market, Sigal invented the original USB turntable, the first product designed to facilitate the conversion of vinyl records to CD or MP3 format. He is also listed as the co-inventor of the iDJ, an iPod-based mixing console.

Doug Sterne is VP/Audio Sales for Pandora, bringing expertise in broadcast radio to a position created specifically for him. At Pandora, he oversees a nationwide network of media professionals focused on delivering custom audio solutions, online and for mobile, and is also in charge of the Pandora Audio Lab, a testing ground for optimizing audio creative and determining best practices. Before joining Pandora, Sterne was Vice President of Sales at Clear Channel Online Music and Radio, where he restructured and grew the sales organization while increasing online revenue. He's also served as a Vice President at Infinity (CBS).