From my friends at Radio World International, here’s a fun technical item that also plays into how media organizations are using fresh approaches online.
Only 15,000 people were able to buy tickets to BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend show; but “Auntie Beeb” devised a clever way to connect with the ticketless.
“Band in Your Hand” gave listeners the chance to watch The Fratellis perform “Mistress Mabel” live up close and very personal — all someone who did not get tickets needed was a PC, an Internet connection, a printer, a webcam and a special consolation link.
Click on the link, download some software, print out two Radio 1 logos and hold the piece of paper up to the webcam. On screen in the listener’s hands, there appeared the Fratellis. According to Radio 1 Producer Hugh Garry, blogging at the BBC Radio Labs site, “The application uses augmented reality technology that has been around for a few years. … Unfortunately music rights restricted us to a seven-day window and it was not available on Macs, so there were a few barriers, but other than that the whole project was quite effortless.”
Radio 1 Presenter Scott Mills demonstrates:
