KCRW(FM) in Santa Monica debuted a media player it says lets listeners personalize their listening experience.
Tech firm Digitaria developed the player for the pubcaster.
Users can access playlists, subscribe to podcasts, embed content on blogs, buy a CD or book from the artist/author being interviewed and share links to favorite programs with friends.
“The goal was to create a player that offers listeners the ability to listen to our streams or watch video while also encouraging them to explore — and bookmark — the station’s on-demand archive,” said Anil Dewan, KCRW’s director of new media.
The station is allowing users to create their own “Channel,” a TiVo-like function that enables them to bookmark shows, performances and interviews to listen to at their convenience. Their bookmarks will pop up on the player without a log-in.
Additionally, KCRW says it is encouraging blogs to embed content on their sites, foster discussion — especially around its news and talk programming — and share it with a wider audience.
Station GM Ruth Seymour said in the announcement: “The extraordinary diversity and variety of programming offered on KCRW makes it a unique Webcasting operation as well as a broadcast station. Our archives go back more than 10 years and our audience extends around the world thanks to podcasts, on-demand features and streaming capabilities.”
Digitaria Inc. is a digital marketing and technology firm that designed and developed the media player. A preview is at www.kcrw.com/media-player.
