television, radio and internet

There are some TV shows that I am thinking of dropping from my regular viewing. Last week I made a list of the shows I plan to watch this fall. One of the shows that didn't make the cut was "CSI: NY." I found a helpful post on the TV Squad site today. It lists all the network websites that offer streaming video of prime time shows. I watched an episode of "CSI: NY" with jewelry store robbers dressed as Holly Golightly and found the experience to be entirely enjoyable. Watching online may be the only way I'll ever see "Ugly Betty," which everyone seems to love.

George Gimarc, the creator of Radio SASS, found my post about his new format. He edits out the guitar solos and other boring parts to play only two-minute versions of songs. Here's part of the email he sent me:

I really enjoy the comments from the people with iPods, since they were the initial inspiration. I've seen dozens, and heard from dozens more, who program their iPods with their FAVORITE music, then punch to the next song, right in the middle. Listeners do the same thing with their radios, punch right in the middle of the song. Forget art, this all about speeding up radio to the speed that listeners use it. It might sound silly at first, but the focus groups we did with one of the nation's top radio test houses had the director telling me he hadn't seen anything like it in 25+ years. The groups were NUTS for it, and couldn't wait for it to come. Again, they weren't radio-heads, they were listeners. It's about time we programmed for them, and not ourselves.

Rich Hailey is my "blogfather." He organized a gathering of local bloggers that I went to last night. You should read his entertaining recap of the evening.