In 1981, Video Killed the Radio Star when the music video was the first played on a new television network called MTV.
But in 2010, a lot has changed and maybe video makes the radio star, says The Riot.
The campus radio station is considering a radical new format called visual radio.
A transition to visual radio would come with estimated startup costs of $150,000, funded by the station itself, says Iain McPherson, station manager of The Riot.
“The Riot is supported by students and what we’ve done is every year we’ve stayed under budget and so what we do is we deliver any surplus that isn’t spent in terms of operating to a capital fund that has been kept in place for the development of the station,” he says.
If you’ve never heard of visual radio, you’re not alone. The concept has remained largely untapped.
“Visual radio actually incorporates a lot of different things and many possibilities,” McPherson explains. “It’s very interactive. What we’re thinking about with this is really sort of blowing the traditional model apart.”
Visual radio lets listeners interact with each other and DJs in many ways. Users can interact through live video streams, as well as through real-time text messaging features similar to those used on MuchMusic’s popular MOD program.
Text messaging can be used by listeners and DJs to display hyperlinks that connect users to additional online content. The feature also allows listeners to participate in programs through polls, comments and conversations with DJs and other listeners.
Users will be able to view several visual components at once, including live video streams, photos, videos and text. Additionally, users will be able to upload photos and videos of their own that The Riot can then broadcast. These interactive features give users a chance to generate their own programming and content.
The proposed format would be accessible online through a computer or mobile device. Of mobile devices, McPherson says: “On an iPhone you have a direct link to YouTube and you just pull it up and it’s right there. That’s the kind of thing we would like to do with The Riot radio is have something that’s that simple for users to use.”
The Riot currently broadcasts in an online format and has previously pursued a CRTC licence, which allows a station to broadcast through a traditional radio frequency. While The Riot’s CRTC application is still pending, the process takes years to complete.
McPherson says the idea of operating under that format at The Riot makes him uncomfortable because, “It tends to pose a lot of restrictions on what students can do in terms of programming.”
He says restrictions include not being allowed to play the hit singles that larger stations play, severely limiting the station’s music library.
McPherson also points out that a traditional radio frequency is limited in how far it can reach, while an online broadcast can be accessed all over the world.
“On the net there’s no restrictions,” he says. ”We can do whatever students want to do. So students can do their thing and make really compelling content.”
But McPherson is careful to add: “These are all possibilities. It’s not to say that this stuff can or will happen, so we’re exploring these possibilities. We’re working on moving ahead with meetings, getting stakeholders involved, and researching technologies to see what’s possible, what people are interested in, what they would use and a possible relocation for the station.”
The Riot’s current location is a small room at the end of the cafeteria inside the Gordon Willey building.
McPherson hopes a new strategic location and an interactive format will help The Riot bring students in different programs from both Durham College and UOIT together, enriching and uniting students’ campus experiences.
Visual radio at The Riot would include placing television monitors throughout the Durham College and UOIT campus to broadcast content. This allows the station to work hand-in-hand with security and other departments to provide students with important notifications, further uniting the campus. It also connects students to The Riot in a new and highly accessible way.
Visual radio can also be used to showcase work from different Durham College and UOIT programs, such as those in the school of Media, Art and Design. This provides an effective way for students in these programs to gain experience and exposure.
The exact end product that will result if The Riot decides to pursue visual radio is not completely clear, which in itself is exciting.
McPherson says much of the development will be handled by the school’s IT department, but adds, “Hopefully, we’ll get students involved in helping to generate it and design it.”
No final decisions have been made on visual radio at The Riot, but if all goes well McPherson says: “I would love it if we could get something in place happening for September. I think the time frame is probably pretty short, but certainly we expect to take some significant steps to getting it in place over the summer. Whether or not it materializes by then I don’t know. I would certainly hope no later than the following year. If we can get it done, get approval and get stuff built by September, then yeah I’d do it in a heartbeat. And if we got the wheels turning, I don’t see why we couldn’t.”
DJs at The Riot are excited about the possibility of using the emerging format.
Paul Richard and Jonathan Cross host Amplified Decibel on Wednesday mornings. Both say they are intrigued by visual radio. Richard says with an excited look, “I think it would be interesting and I think it would be fun.”
But both add they are wary of the popularity of an online format versus a traditional CRTC format, saying they personally listen to traditional radio more often than online radio.
“The traditional radio I think would be more effective because it has an ease of access,” Richard says.
Cross adds, “I don’t know how many people can tune into online radio in their car.”
Both DJs go on to say they are excited about the possibilities of visual radio and eager to learn more about the technology.
Travis Landry, host of The Afternoon Mix with DJ TJ on Thursday afternoons says, “I think we’re due for a change…I think if we want to really appeal to a broader demographic and really expand into the music industry then it might be a good idea to seek other alternatives, in this case visual radio.”
Landry says of a traditional CRTC format: “It would really limit our flexibility and would be kind of constricting on our personalities and freedoms. By having the CRTC regulate it to what they think is proper is kind of detrimental to our overall goal here at The Riot radio.”
Nick Glover, former co-host of Nick and the Cracker and a second year Music Business Management student at Durham College, says, “I think it would be cool to switch to visual because it’s not really the norm right now, so we’re doing something different that might appeal to more people.”
Glover also points out the potential a medium like visual radio holds for local artists, saying, “I think it would be a cooler media outlet even for independent artists around the area because then you get to know the face just as much as the music.”
