http://www.blogtalkradio.com/-FICKLIN-MEDIA-GROUP
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BITS; Opening Radio To More Hosts
By BRAD STONE
Published: June 30, 2008-NY Times
Opening Radio To More Hosts
The pirates of radio are losing their eye patches and going legit.
In the old, creaky-wheel analog days, people who did not have the voice or political views for traditional radio turned to the slightly romantic practice of broadcasting illegally over unlicensed radio frequencies.
But today there is the more legitimate and egalitarian medium of podcasts, and a host of companies are eager to get people up and running and to make their broadcasts available on the Web.
One of those companies, BlogTalkRadio, has drawn attention by making it easy for the talkers to start with just a computer and a telephone. The company, based in New Jersey, said it just closed an initial $4.6 million round of financing led by the Kraft Group, the owner of the New England Patriots, and it has some ambitious plans for expansion.
BlogTalkRadio was founded in 2006 by a former telecom executive, Alan Levy, who demonstrated a knack for good timing in the 1990s by starting and selling his previous company before the walls caved on the industry.
The service lets anyone host a live radio talk show over the telephone or Internet. BlogTalkRadio splits the advertising revenue with show creators. Recent voices on BlogTalkRadio shows have included Senators John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama; the actor Brad Pitt; and the Web media mogul Arianna Huffington.
Three million listeners tuned in last month to more than 12,000 radio segments.
''What blogs have done to newspapers and magazines, I think companies like BlogTalkRadio can do to talk radio,'' Mr. Levy, above, said. ''I don't see how they can compete in a world where there is unlimited opportunity for people to communicate, and when you bring so many people into the conversation.''
click on the ARROW below to access the radio program
BITS; Opening Radio To More Hosts
By BRAD STONE
Published: June 30, 2008-NY Times
Opening Radio To More Hosts
The pirates of radio are losing their eye patches and going legit.
In the old, creaky-wheel analog days, people who did not have the voice or political views for traditional radio turned to the slightly romantic practice of broadcasting illegally over unlicensed radio frequencies.
But today there is the more legitimate and egalitarian medium of podcasts, and a host of companies are eager to get people up and running and to make their broadcasts available on the Web.
One of those companies, BlogTalkRadio, has drawn attention by making it easy for the talkers to start with just a computer and a telephone. The company, based in New Jersey, said it just closed an initial $4.6 million round of financing led by the Kraft Group, the owner of the New England Patriots, and it has some ambitious plans for expansion.
BlogTalkRadio was founded in 2006 by a former telecom executive, Alan Levy, who demonstrated a knack for good timing in the 1990s by starting and selling his previous company before the walls caved on the industry.
The service lets anyone host a live radio talk show over the telephone or Internet. BlogTalkRadio splits the advertising revenue with show creators. Recent voices on BlogTalkRadio shows have included Senators John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama; the actor Brad Pitt; and the Web media mogul Arianna Huffington.
Three million listeners tuned in last month to more than 12,000 radio segments.
''What blogs have done to newspapers and magazines, I think companies like BlogTalkRadio can do to talk radio,'' Mr. Levy, above, said. ''I don't see how they can compete in a world where there is unlimited opportunity for people to communicate, and when you bring so many people into the conversation.''
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