Broadcasters Add Net Only Side Channels

Some radio broadcasters are giving listeners more choices (and music markleters more outlers) by offering ilisteners Internet-only "side channels" on their web sites.

According to The Radio Internet Newsletter (RAIN), broadcaster "…Bonneville launched the Internet-only FederalNewsRadio.com in early 2000 as a complement to its All-News format WTOP-AM/Washington, D.C. The side channel (originally called WTOP2 and designed to address the needs of a specialized subset of WTOP’s listenership — federal employees) proved so successful, Bonneville gave the station a transmitter and put it on the air as WFED-AM."

"Meanwhile, Bonneville has been "super-serving" listeners of some of its music stations with specialized musical programming available only via the station sites."

"For instance, it stood to reason that a significant number of Bonneville’s D.C. Classical music broadcaster WGMS-FM‘s listeners enjoy opera and other classical vocal music. Thus the logic behind Viva La Voce, the Internet-only stream featuring "Opera (arias, duets, ensembles, choruses and complete operas), Choral Music (sacred and secular works), and Art Song (lieder, chansons, and other similar works)."

"In Chicago, Bonneville is experimenting with side channels for its Hot AC WTMX-FM ("The Mix") and Classic Hits WDRV-FM ("The Drive"). While neither The Mix’s "Totally 80s" nor The Drive’s "Deep Tracks" channels are as extensively developed as FederalNewsRadio and Viva La Voce (neither have their own web sites or the range of features of the D.C. streams), both are promoted on and link from the main station web page…"

"It remains to be seen if the development of side channels for companies like Bonneville is a long-term plan, or simply a stop-gap before broadcasters (and listeners) convert to HD Radio, a technology which allows stations to broadcast side channels to listeners with digital radio receivers…"