Jack-fm makes a change to their online streaming and dsc podcasts

[philosofy]

http://www.sandiegojack.com/story/22971070/i-cant-hear-jack

My wife was headed to LA today for a business meeting and called me to ask why she couldn't listen to Jack on her smartphone. Turns out they are now geographically restricting the online stream to San Diego. Also starting next month they won't allow people to listen to the DSC podcasts for free anymore. They are going to start charging a subscription fee for them next month.

 

[radio-darn]

Also starting next month they won't allow people to listen to the DSC podcasts for free anymore. They are going to start charging a subscription fee for them next month.

Oh yeah, that'll be a big seller, especially if they include Dave's prolonged live commercials over cheesy background music.

 

[johndavis]

When will this station stop shooting itself in the foot?

 

[radio-darn]

When will this station stop shooting itself in the foot?

Or is it more of a case of "They strive despite themselves?"

They are number 5 in the current 6+ ratings, so that would seem to have to generate some decent revenue unless all their listeners are old guys.

 

[johndavis]

Throwing up barriers to listening does not make raving fans of your radio station.

Gee, here's technology that has the potential to disrupt our business. I know! We'll make it difficult for people to listen on their favorite device so we can make them listen to the radio!

That's pretty short-sighted. So the days where Verizon decides that the node you're on is named Los Angeles, they'll block your stream. Or if you're in my office and your IP block says Atlanta because that's where corporate is, they'll block your stream.

I understand geo-blocking outside of the US due to rights issues, and nobody makes any money when someone who lives outside the area pulls up your stream. But keeping a fan of the station from being able to listen when they drive to LA for the day serves no purpose other than to irritate your listeners, and irritated listeners listen less often, which can cut into your share. Especially if the person you just geo-blocked carries a meter from San Diego County.

 

[sdwulfdawg]

Is DSC worth paying money for? Uh..no....

 

[pinball]

What happens if you pay money for the DSC show only to find out it's one of their many "best of" shows?

 

[radiojomo]

I'm in OC and the stream is working flawlessly. Wonder how they calculate the SD listening area...

 

[JimH]

Throwing up barriers to listening does not make raving fans of your radio station.

Gee, here's technology that has the potential to disrupt our business. I know! We'll make it difficult for people to listen on their favorite device so we can make them listen to the radio!

That's pretty short-sighted. So the days where Verizon decides that the node you're on is named Los Angeles, they'll block your stream. Or if you're in my office and your IP block says Atlanta because that's where corporate is, they'll block your stream.

Yep----block any local resident who drives "too far" from San Diego....block those whose corporate PCs show a distant city....a good way to train some of your most loyal listeners to find another station to listen to that they can get EASILY and ALL THE TIME.

Definitely a not well thought-out move.

 

[1sttimecaller]

Blocking the stream outside your metro is all part of Arbitron's new Total Line reporting policy.

http://fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2666357

 

[RadioFanBoy]

It only works if you try and access the stream from the player on the stations web site, which uses cookies to spot a location (mostly by zip code). No cookies when using the actual stream URL. So unless you spend the extra bucks to password encode said stream, it is still listenable outside Sandy Eggo

 

[crainbebo]

I wonder if this is going to happen in other markets? Hopefully I won't lose all streams except for Seattle and Bellingham soon!

-crainbebo

 

[JimH]

It only works if you try and access the stream from the player on the stations web site, which uses cookies to spot a location (mostly by zip code). No cookies when using the actual stream URL. So unless you spend the extra bucks to password encode said stream, it is still listenable outside Sandy Eggo

So how does one find/use the actual stream URL??

 

[JimH]

It only works if you try and access the stream from the player on the stations web site, which uses cookies to spot a location (mostly by zip code). No cookies when using the actual stream URL. So unless you spend the extra bucks to password encode said stream, it is still listenable outside Sandy Eggo

OK---found the URL at Radio Locator. But still was blocked by them from listening....is there something else I need to try??

 

[RadioFanBoy]

It works on my XiiaLive Smartphone player.....Tunein as well....perhaps they consider "San Diego" all of Southern California (Am in Riverside)

 

[idigradio]

Anyone know what is up Rickards is these days? Kind of odd he isn't there. Just curious and I haven't heard anything.

 

[Willits]

Blocking the stream outside your metro is all part of Arbitron's new Total Line reporting policy.

http://fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2666357

If I'm reading the article correctly, blocking outside the Metro and DMA still qualifies the station for TLR, provided that 100% simulcast by the stream is used. So, KFMB could probably send the stream out nationwide if they really wanted to, but apparently they don't want to or can't for some reason.

 

[johndavis]

If I'm reading the article correctly, blocking outside the Metro and DMA still qualifies the station for TLR, provided that 100% simulcast by the stream is used. So, KFMB could probably send the stream out nationwide if they really wanted to, but apparently they don't want to or can't for some reason.

That's not how I read it.

It has everything to do with inserting commercials or other programming into the stream that aren't heard on the air. If someone listening inside the metro to your stream hears different commercials than they would hear listening to the radio, you do not qualify as 100% simulcast and can't do TLR for your stream (the stream would be counted separately). You can insert different programming for people outside of the metro and qualify for TLR [as Clear Channel likes to do in overnights on iHeart] as long as the people listening in the metro hear the same programming as is on air.

What KFMB is geo-blocking everyone outside of the DMA.

Geo-blocking effectively says "since we can't make money on you, we won't let you listen." It makes sense to block international listening because international royalties cost big money with zero return. But the only thing this seems to do is possibly help sell a couple more podcasts a month.

 

[ajc_trw]

Do they really need to restrict streaming to the DMA or can they stream to their normal reception area? If it's the latter 91X could continue streaming to most of Orange County. And KCBS-AM could stream to all of southern California from dusk to dawn.

I'm not sure how far out KFMB-FM can carry (KFMB-AM can be heard in the OC no problem) but I'm sure they get some listeners outside the SD DMA.

 

[JFox]

Arbitron new TLR policy only says a station is not "required" to carry programming on its stream that is 100% identical to its over the air signal within the metro. It's a station's decision to block the stream outside its metro. The only logical reason they would is create an additional revenue stream by selling subscriptions. But the ill will this strategy is obviously, and predictably creating suggests a better course of action might have been to sell a whole second set of commercials to national advertisers to insert into a nationally or even internationally available stream, replacing all locally sold commercials. Another stumble along the road to monetizing "new media".