[FM] Also - Internet Radio is not the same thing as MP3 trading

[Tom Neff]

I should also make a distinction between two different forms of Internet
music out there: Internet Radio versus MP3 trading/downloading sites.  You
hear talk about both, but there's a difference worth clarifying.

Both of these kinds of sites rely on the same underlying technology, where
"psychoacoustic" software algorithms are used to compress CD or FM quality
music down to a small fraction of its original "download size" while still
sounding terrific.  MPEG or MP3 is one of the common technologies used these
days; others include RealAudio and Quicktime.

The difference between them is that Internet Radio functions much as
"antenna radio" always has: there is a continuous stream of sound put out,
to which you can tune if you want, and on which a series of songs, clips,
interviews, etc, is played by some human or automated "DJ".  The listener
"sets and forgets" and the broadcaster controls what's streamed; you're not
handing around song files on demand.

Trading or jukebox sites, on the other hand, have no common "stream" that
everybody is listening to: they have a big menu of individual song files
that visitors can grab, download, listen to, contribute to etc.  This can
even be done via a grassroots network with no big central "download" site --
that's what Napster is.

Personally I am not a fan of jukebox or trading sites and I think that if
Big Brother lowers the boom, that's where it'll be lowered.  Grassy Hill is
a true Internet Radio site with a playlist driven stream.  We probably will
add the ability to listen to interviews on demand, but not music.  We'll
also have a facility that lets musicians upload their own songs for
consideration, but those will be subject to our regular programming "ears"
and if selected, they'll just be part of the stream like everything else.

[Alan sez: For me, a good DJ is like a tour guide. They really enhance the experience. I try to wade thru MP3.com and there is a lot of crap seperating the islands of great music. A DJ can expedite that navigation.]