The US has begun it’s assault on Iran - with Madonna, Shania Twain and Britney Spears.

Radio Farda is a service of U.S. International Broadcasting, a publicly-funded radio service with the goal of providing accurate, objective and comprehensive news about Iran and the world as well as news and informational features and the best Iranian and Western pop music.

The station has come under criticism, though, for veering away from hard news and substituting pop from the likes of Spears and Twain.

t’s all about knowing your audience, according to station consultant Bert Kleinman. In Iran, two-thirds of the population is believed to be under the age of 30, the demographic that holds the most hope for bringing about reform.

“I don’t care where you go in the world, if you want to reach younger people, this is how you do it,” Kleinman said.

Continue reading ‘US Attacks Iran….With Britney Spears’

National Public Radio (NPR) plans to create a major digital music service to extend the role that public radio stations, networks and producers currently hold in music discovery. The online store is scheduled to roll out in the first half of 2007.

“From the start, music in all forms has been a cornerstone of public radio. NPR, public radio producers and our station colleagues are recognized as important music presenters and curators for the public, wherever they are,” said Ken Stern, Executive Vice President, NPR.

“While this role began with traditional program broadcasts, we have pioneered innovations - independently and collaboratively - including a modular music production and acquisition program service, NPR Music online, live streaming concerts, podcasts and, most recently, digital radio multicast channels. The digital music discovery arena is a new and barely-explored one, and a logical place for NPR and the public radio system to take a leadership role.”
Continue reading ‘Can NPR Beat iTunes?’

XM Satellite Radio listeners that subscribe to avoid listening to annoying advertisements may be annoyed that they are paying to listen to advertisements from Clear Channel Communications.

The ads will be played on certain music channels including KISS, specializing in contemporary hits, and Nashville, a country music station. Continue reading ‘XM to Charge Listeners to Listen to Ads’