A group of non-profit radio stations that pride themselves on breaking new music are creating a new platform that will allow listeners to access videos of the music they are hearing on the stations.
Its working name is Music X, and it is to be officially unveiled at the SXSW conference to be held in March 2015. It runs from the 17th through the 21st.
The Music X name is a placeholder for the service until final branding is determined. Its mission is to be “…a new consumer-facing music video channel that expands exposure of local, emerging and national acts.”
Founding stations include KCRW Los Angeles, WXPN Philadelphia, WFUV New York City, KTBG Kansas City and KUTX Austin. Other noncoms are also expected to participate.
A panel will convene at SXSW to discuss the new service, including Matt Pollack of Monotone Management, WFUV-FM New York program director Rita Houston, and Paragon CEO and Music X Senior Creative Director Mike Henry, who will serve as moderator.
“There is no better venue in the world to unveil a new highly curated music video platform than SXSW in our hometown,” said Stewart Vanderwilt, director and general manager of KUTX 98.9 in Austin. “Music X will give us the platform to showcase handpicked local artists to a much larger audience at the national level.”
“Music X will bring public radio music videos into the phones, tablets, computers, cars, TVs and living rooms of fans worldwide, and by extension will introduce public radio music stations to new listeners,” said Henry.
RBR-TVBR observation: Smart broadcasters will use all the tools available to interact with listeners. This service, whatever they wind up calling it, will help to strengthen the bond between stations and listeners. It would be great to know you can go straight to a station’s website to see a video of a song you just heard for the first time – and while there, maybe find even more reasons to interact with the station.
And of course, there’s no reason for noncoms to have all the fun — when they come up with a good idea to enhance the listener experience, by all means — latch on to it!
