Aha

We've been doing a lot of RAIN Summit West review lately (here and here, with more to come!), so we wanted to take a minute and pass along some other news that's out there. Some is from the NAB Show, some unrelated, but we hope you find it useful and interesting.

NAB's Smith urges embrace of "hybrid radio": NAB CEO Gordon Smith (right), in his "State of the Industry" address at the NAB Show Monday, urged broadcasters to find ways of providing content across platforms.

He described "radios in smartphones" as a "hybrid-radio" system combining on-air content with interactive enhancements. He also acknowledged broadcast radio's upcoming battle to maintain its dominance in the car dashboard. Billboard's coverage gave no indication of any mention of Internet radio or streaming. Read more in Billboard.biz here.

Aha Radio inks CBS News deal, launches Publisher Portal: Aha Radio by Harman announced Monday its partnership with CBS Radio News, bringing audio of the broadcaster's top news programs to Aha Radio listeners. Aha also launched its "Publisher Portal" by which anyone (following an approval process) can make content available on the Aha Radio system. There's more in Examiner.com here.

TargetSpot to deliver in-stream ads for Microsoft's Xbox Music Service: Online audio ad network TargetSpot announced it will deliver in-stream audio ads for the free version of the Xbox Music service (pictured) on the gaming console and Windows devices.

Former Triton exec Freund lands at Clip Interactive: Former EVP/Triton Media Group Bill Freund joins technology company Clip Interactive as VP/Chief Revenue Officer in preparation for a 2014 national rollout of the service which will allow mobile listeners to interact with broadcast radio content.

Global shipments of PCs fell 14% in first quarter: ZDNet calls that the worst drop in a generation, the steepest decline since 1994. The IDC (International Data Corporation) points to a number of factors -- like mobile, but also "a weak reception for Windows 8." Read more in ZDNet here.

Jelli says data shows increased social engagement helps ratings: Jelli has released data it says reveals a direct correlation between increased "social engagement" by broadcasters with listeners and increased listening (as reflected by ratings). The company measured weekly active registered users who were using its online or mobile app to vote to choose the music played during live broadcasts. It found as weekly social engagement rose 127%, weekly cume went up 30%.

Jelli says its data also shows these socially-engaged listeners engage with advertising more.

Net radio streaming service SurferNETWORK awarded patent: SurferNETWORK, a streaming vendor, was awarded its fifth "Buffering Patent" for technology that enables content streams "to start immediately," instead of waiting for playback while a cache of data loads.

In today's USA Today "Money" section (here), journalist Chris Woodyard suggests the very existence of AM/FM radio may be endangered by a wave of Internet-delivered audio entertainment in the car.

Most of us closer to the webcasting, broadcasting, and automotive industries doubt IP-delivered content in cars spells doom for American broadcasters. But that's certainly not to say it's not a crucial issue. Jacobs Media president Fred Jacobs wrote last week (here), "The automakers are perfectly content to give consumers lots of choice and let Darwinian-driven choice take over. May the best content win. And that’s where radio needs to rethink its assumptions and givens."

RAIN Summit West (now just two weeks away on April 7 in Las Vegas) leads off by picking up this very important discussion. Moderated by Roger Lanctot from tech-focused research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics, the "Dashboard Discussions" panel will hash out some strategies for competing for the attention of drivers and passengers with a world of media options at their fingertips.

Paul Jacobs is president of jacAPPS, the mobile development division of Jacbos Media. At January's Consumer Electronics Show, Ford Motor Company named jacAPPS a "recommended mobile app development house" for its new Ford Developer Program. This means jacAPPS will develop, as well as work with other third-party developers, to create voice-activated smartphone apps for radio to work with Ford's SYNC AppLink (RAIN coverage here). Paul (pictured top-right) returns to RAIN Summit to share his insight on this topic. (Another panelist from the application side is TuneIn Radio's Carl Rohling.)

Chia-Lin Simmons is VP/Marketing & Content for electronics maker Harman International's Aha unit. Aha delivers entertainment and information content to connected vehicles, mobile phones, and in-home devices. She's responsible for all marketing strategy, she works to secure content partnerships, and she co-markets the Aha service with affiliate car makers, OEMs, and electronics makers. Simmons (left), who also co-hosts the On Digital Media podcast, will be a part of the panel. (Panasonic is another electronics manufacturer innovating in-car integration of mobile content. Panasonic's Hakan Kostepen will join us too.)

Obviously, we wouldn't have this discussion without hearing from broadcasters. Entercom Director/Digital Operations Amy Van Hook (lower-right) is a seasoned radio and digital veteran whose experience includes time as COO of radio-focused streaming media company Liquid Compass and Susquehanna Radio as Group Director of Interactive. Entercom makes its streams available in the TuneIn directory, works with social radio service Jelli on more than 100 of its stations, and is experimenting with on-air/online royalty deals with record label groups.

Read more about our "Dashboard Discussions" panel in RAIN here.

RAIN Summit West is Sunday, April 7 in Las Vegas. The annual full-day Internet radio conference is a co-located education program of the NAB Show. Now in its 12th year, the Summit focuses on the intersection of radio and the Internet. Keynoting will be RAB president and CEO Erica Farber (more in RAIN here) and Rhapsody International president Jon Irwin (more here). Register today, while space is still available, via the RAIN Summit West page. And look for the RAIN Reader Discount Code in the P.S. of your RAIN Daily e-mail (subscribe here).

More from the world of in-car Internet radio that's been announced at this week's CES... Harman's Aha Radio service (see today's story on Chrysler Uconnect) connects drivers with web-based entertainment and information via its Cloud Platform in a radio-like format.

As the result of some newly-announced deals, by the end of the year, Harman says "Aha will be installed into vehicles by more than 10 auto manufacturers which in total represent more than 50% of all cars sold in the USA/Canada and up to 30% in Europe."

Those new deals: In addition to joining Chrysler's new Uconnect system, this week Aha announced its app was added by Ford to its SYNC Applink platform, by Porsche for its Online Services system, and by Subaru in its brand new STARLINK connectivity system. Additionally, Alpine Electronics will become Aha's third major aftermarket partner with new in-dash units. Kenwood is launching 12 cloud-connected head units featuring Aha, with more to follow throughout 2013. Pioneer was the first company to ship an Aha-enabled product back in 2011.

Aha Radio makes more than 30-thousand stations of audio programming available to customers, including new media partners AccuRadio, Deezer, Rdio, and SomaFM. Aha listeners can also tune in to content from OK!, Men's Fitness, Popular Science, Parenting, Shape, Star, TV Guide, Men's Health and more. (That image is from Car and Driver.)

Honda has become the latest carmaker to offer in-car web radio.

The company yesterday announced a new system called HondaLink, which incoporates Aha Radio (from audio-equipment supplier Harman) and includes built-in support for Pandora.

Like the systems offered by Ford, GM and other automakers, HondaLink reportedly relies on a smartphone to connect to the web. It's controlled via voice commands and in-dash buttons.

The system reportedly includes an in-dash app for Pandora, Slacker and Shoutcast streams. Besides web radio options, HondaLink includes podcasts, audio news feeds from Facebook and Twitter and other offerings. It will first be available in the 2013 Accord.

It's a good first step for Honda, but the company "has a long way to go," writes Wired. "There’s still a lot missing from HondaLink to make it competitive... for now this is just one small step for Honda, while the competition is already on its second lap."

You can find more coverage from Engadget here, The Verge here, Wired here and AutoWeek here.

Harman's Aha web radio service will be integrated into the 2013 Acura RLX, the companies recently announced. Aha offers a directory of Internet radio stations (including Slacker), as well as podcasts, social media newsfeeds and other on-demand infotainment content (more here).

Acura drivers will need to connect a smartphone to their dashboard through Bluetooth to use Aha. The service is also coming to Subaru and Honda dashboards, as well as through aftermarket Pioneer and Kenwood head units.

Aha GM and Vice President Robert Acker will discuss in-car web radio at RAIN Summit West, which takes place in less than a week. He'll join Sandhi Kozsuch of Cox, Carl Rohling of TuneIn, Jake Sigal of Livio Radio, Dan Steiny of Live365 and moderator Sam Milkman of knowDigital on "The Connected Dashboard" panel. Find out more here.

Twice.com has more coverage on Aha's deal with Acura here.

Today RAIN announces the addition of three more industry executives to the agenda of RAIN Summit West 2012: Edison Research Co-founder and President Larry Rosin, Aha GM and Vice President Robert Acker and Rhapsody Chief Product Officer Brendan Benzing.

The conference takes place Sunday, April 15 in Las Vegas (more info below).

Larry Rosin (pictured right) has been involved with media for over 20 years, the last sixteen in audience research. Rosin has been recognized as one of the leading thinkers in the field, and advises many of the world’s largest media companies, including Time Warner, Sony, Disney/ABC and EMAP. Rosin founded Edison Research in 1994 and has been a primary force in building the company into one of the world’s largest and most respected media research companies.

Robert Acker (pictured left) has been a pioneering entrepreneur in the connected car space for over 14 years. In his current role, Acker and his team are working to revolutionize radio for today’s connected consumer. Aha organizes content from the web into personalized radio stations that consumers can listen to from anywhere, including from the driver’s seat.

Brendan Benzing (pictured right) oversees the design, creation and improvement of the Rhapsody product and service, as well as its marketing and communications efforts. His media career spans 19 years, including over a decade directing development of subscription-based and ad-supported media products for the PC, TV and mobile platforms.

Other speakers set to appear at RAIN Summit West 2012 include Spotify VP of U.S. Ad Sales Jon Mitchell, Katz360 Sales President Brian Benedik, Pandora SVP of Advertising Sales Steven Kritzman and many others.

ESPN SVP of Production/Business Divisions Traug Keller will keynote the conference. RAIN will announce more speakers and panel topics in the coming weeks.

RAIN Summit West will take place on Sunday, April 15 at the former Las Vegas Hilton, now called the LVH -- Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. It will conclude with the always-anticipated tradition of the poolside RAIN Reader Cocktail Party.

The Summit is an official “Co-Located Education Program” of the NAB Show. Registration includes access to the NAB Show Exhibit Hall and a catered box lunch. RAIN registrants can save $100 on NAB registration.

For registration and sponsorship information, visit kurthanson.com/rainsummitwest.

Other RAIN Summits are planned for later this year in Dallas (at the RAB/NAB Radio Show) on September 18th, in Minneapolis (at the Conclave) on July 20, and in Berlin, Germany on October 5th.