AOL head of music and radio Evan Harrison joins Clear Channel
AOL's head of music and radio, Evan Harrison, is leaving the company to run the online radio division at Clear Channel. CC executives say they would like to recreate much of the content that has made AOL Music so successful, including songs that debuted on AOL before hitting radio or television, and concerts exclusive to AOL music subscribers. 200 CC Radio stations currently stream their programming on and hope to use the Internet to create stronger national brand identities for several formats with Harrison, who will remain based in NYC and report to CC Radio CEO John Hogan.
At the heart of the new initiative is a broad variety of format-specific, custom and interactive programming aimed at what Harrison calls local stations' "devout listenership and fans on the local level."
Among the exclusive content from which listeners may choose: in-studio performances, custom music videos, and artist interviews.
"The Internet offers a music experience on fans' terms - - what they want, when they want it - - a natural community extension of the current radio experience," said Harrison. "Unlike any other medium, radio still drives the most passionate reaction from listeners. Clear Channel has established brands that are loved on a local level, and they will be our front door for the online experience."
RBR observation:
CC Radio shouldn't necessarily jump at the chance to send listeners to online streaming sites, but if Harrison can recreate the formats AOL Music has via its Radio@Netscape Plus
(http://radio.netscape.com/radio/radiosell2.html) for example, this could be a chance to gather listening stats, data and feedback on format and music trending. The goal - - to improve their terrestrial radio formats with the online music component. For example, if CC Radio's DC-101 website shows a marked spike in Indie Rock format listening; particular songs are getting CD orders; and feedback for certain songs is strong, then this may be a good reason to start mixing some of those songs into the station's playlist - - in real time. Market by market, format by format, this methodology could really help improve CC Radio station playlists. Call it cheap music testing.
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