BlogTalkRadio, an internet radio network has announced a site redesign with new features that combine social networking and online audio broadcasting.

Originally launched in August 2006, BlogTalkRadio (BTR) is a free, web-based platform which allows any user with a phone and a computer to host a live, interactive radio show. Hosts call into the service by phone, managing callers on the web-based host dashboard. Shows stream live directly from the host’s BTR webpage. Since the company’s launch more than 8,000 hosts have broadcast on BTR.

The newly redesigned site features live text-chat, a social networking component and video uploading capability. BTR’s listeners can also now create member profiles, share preferences and rate and save favorite shows. The enhanced search functions also let users find relevant content in the programming guide and in the archive of 23,000 shows.

“We spent the first year developing the site with hosts in mind,” said Alan Levy, CEO and founder of BlogTalkRadio. “Now that we have over 3,500 active hosts and 200 live shows a day, we knew we needed to make the site more functional for listeners, more searchable and more interactive. The BTR platform is all about conversation and now we are building social communities around these conversations.”

“We also want to make it easy for the hosts to promote what they’re doing. We’re adding many Web 2.0 tools, templates and tips for hosts to promote their own content,” adds Lisa Padilla, VP of Marketing for BlogTalkRadio.

Once a show has aired on BTR, the archive becomes available for subscription via RSS for iTunes or any other podcatcher. Hosts can also place the BTR flash player on their blogs or websites, so visitors can access archived shows. No downloads are required to host or listen to a show.

Notable hosts and guests from BTR’s eclectic list include host Marla Cilley, known to millions as The FlyLady; host Mark Frauenfelder of the top-rated blog Boing Boing; host the Los Angeles Fire Department; and guests Senator John McCain and actress Jennifer Hudson.

Mercedes-Benz USA is expanding its commitment to Sirius Satellite Radio. The pair plan to offer Sirius options within 80 percent of new Benzes this year, and 90 percent by the end of 2008. Additionally, the luxury leader will now position Sirius as a standard feature on the S-Class and CLS model lines, a move that broadens existing packages involving SL-Class, CL-Class, AMG and 600 series vehicles. “We are happy to see Sirius go standard across so many Mercedes-Benz vehicle models,” enthused Mel Karmazin, chief executive of the satellite provider. Sirius will continue to offer six months of free service to Mercedes customers, a concept that aims to lure longer-term listening relationships. The stepped-up Mercedes commitment follows a string of refreshed dashboard deals with Sirius, including those involving Lincoln, Mitsubishi, and Audi.

Via Digital Media News

Ars Technica is reporting that a panel of judges at the Copyright Royalty Board has denied a request from the NPR and a number of other webcasters to reconsider a previous rulling force Internet radio services to pay crippling royalties.

SoundExchange (the music industry’s royalty collection organization) Executive Director John Simson declared that this is a victory for performing artists and record labels who work long and hard to produce music for all to enjoy. “Our artists and labels look forward to working with the Internet radio industry—large and small, commercial and noncommercial—so that together we can ensure it succeeds as a place where great music is available to music lovers of all genres,” said Simson in a statement.

Perhaps Mr. Simson should take a closer look at what he is celebrating. The new rates are likely to seriously reduce online radio play and that is likely to reduce music sales and overall royalties. The music industry seems bound and determined to eliminate every distribution partner except iTunes, Walmart and Target.

Do you have what it takes to be public radio’s next great host? They’re having a contest to find new hosts in the Public Radio Talent Quest.

To enter the first round of the Talent Quest, which starts on Monday April 16th, 2007, upload two minutes or less of audio that reflects your personality and uses your voice. That’s it.

We want to hear who you are. Show the judges and the public the elements of your personality that make people look forward to spending time with you. It’s what we’re calling “hostiness” and it includes people who are:

Engaging, smart, curious, surprising, honest, intriguing, have sense of humor, clever, authentic, human, real, trustworthy, knowledgeable, maybe even someone you’d have dinner with.

The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has announced its decision on Internet radio royalty rates. The board rejected all of the arguments made by Webcasters and adopted the “per play” rate proposal from SoundExchange, which is part of the RIAA/big music labels fee collecting process.

The new rates are

• 2006 $.0008 to stream one song to one listener
• 2007 $.0011 to stream one song to one listener
• 2008 $.0014 to stream one song to one listener
• 2009 $.0018 to stream one song to one listener
• 2010 $.0019 to stream one song to one listener

These fees will be applied retroactively to 2006 webcasting.

RAIN is reporting that this pricing could be the end of web radio

According to the comScore Arbitron ratings report for November 2006, the AOL Radio Network had a average audience (”AQH”) between 6AM and Midnight of 210,694 listeners. Multiplied by about 16 songs per hour, 18 hours per day, and 31 days per month, plus adding an additional 10% to account for overnight (Mid-6AM) listening, suggests that AOL played about 2.1 billion songs that month. At the CRB’s royalty rate ($0.0008 per play), I’m guessing that would create a royalty obligation to SoundExchange for the month of November of about $1.65 million. Annualized, that’s about $20 million for 2006.

Here at RAIN, we’re guessing that Pandora has an audience approaching that size. (Pandora founder Tim Westergren claims that Pandora now accounts for 1.5% of all Internet traffic.) Such a royalty obligation might exceed the total proceeds of all their recent rounds of venture capital plus all their sales revenues to date.

Since Last.fm is based in the U.K., another possible outcome is that Pandora dies and Last.fm becomes the “social music networking” player.

Online petitions are being formed right now to raise attention to this decision.

• http://www.savethestreams.org/
• http://www.petitiononline.com/SIR2007r/petition.html
• http://www.saveourinternetradio.com/

The New York Post is reporting that satellite radio competitors XM and Sirius are going to disclose their intent to merge.

Satellite radio operators Sirius and XM are expected to announce their long-awaited merger today, according to a source familiar with the deal.

I expect that this will be a very difficult merger with lots of anti-trust problems, but given the economics of the business it probably doesn’t work with two players battling it out. They should be able to cut lots of costs and maybe get the combined company to profitability.

Check out Techmeme for more points of view.