Let the streamcasting wars begin (errr...continue?)

Here's an interesting article from the International Herald Tribune about how public broadcasters around the world are adopting new technologies sooner than their commerical counterparts and increasing their market shares. National Public Radio is increasing their efforts to podcast and is building a National Podcasting Directory. This is worrying local public stations who need more local support, not more users going to NPR's site for programming. Add to this the fact that National Public Radio is now operating its first terrestial station. [It's not in the United States. They bought the lease of a former VOA station in Berlin].

Please support your local station, because they pay fees to NPR to support this programming, and they are the voice of your local community!

Some more highlights of the article:

Car Talk for big boys:

In September, Radio Netherlands started a radio program aimed entirely at truck drivers, who can pick up the two-hour "On the Road" show throughout Europe in a variety of forms, from traditional radio to online streaming.

Finally--the convergence talk we've heard for years:

"Historically, the commercial stations were focused on essentially music stations and a limited number of genres and songs and artists, because that was the way to get the advertising dollar," said Ed Shedd, a media partner with Deloitte in London. "The converging world really suits talk and chat and discussion, and that really plays into the hand of the public-service broadcasters that are more invested in talk services."

Also, NPR can't blame satellite radio competition for its audience slump, according to the Current magazine.