03 October 2012

(Another) Grand Experiment

Here we go again. In March, 2009, Grin Radio was born. A month later it was kaput. By the summer of this year I was inspired to start up the the GRIN—again! This time the music was different, then the same as the old incarnation, then flipped again to, quoting Monty Python’s Flying Circus, “…something completely different.” Classic Rock and sports was on the GRIN. We invested at least a hundred bucks in the new Internet stream and thought that the second chance would have at least some return on investment. Wrong! The first version of the station was on a free server, cost me only my labor and non-financial resources, and had quite a few listeners (not a bad return). This time around, relatively few people tuned in (at a cost of about $25 per listener average; me being one.)

In the traditional radio industry, my real day job, Internet streaming is looked upon with tepid contempt, especially with the bean counters. Honestly, they have a valid point. I believe in streaming as a concept, but see it as a fledgling technology. Radio, on the other hand, is a fully mature medium. Streaming will not truly compete until the average Joe in his average 10 year old automobile can follow an Internet stream from his car to his trusty clock radio reliably without interruption. True portability might eventually happen. Right now streaming, at best,  only augments old fashioned broadcasting.

Having said all that, as of mid-October the Grin will once again be shelved. With respect to the few that did tune in, my sincere thanks are in order.

Stay tuned

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I hate that you are shelving the stream. I do not get good reception on am radio where I live (north of Atlanta in the mountains) and tuned in to your stream. The music was great with my radio stations leaving the air and I enjoyed the era of great tunes. My friends in Texas and New York were tuning in to hear 100 Yards of Football and they we be sorry to know you are "closing shop". I know my phone and pc will be buzzing at 10:05 AM ET <3

Neal Rhoden said...

Hello Bonnie, Don't despair 100 Yards is still streaming strong; just go to http://myradiostream.com/grinradio

Thanks,
Jim

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