BYTE MARKS
Web radio is not just about music

By Burt Lum

While spending time listening to music online, it's come to my attention that there is more to Internet radio than music. Granted, 99 percent of my online listening habit is to music, but a friend recently turned me on to several Internet shows that are only talk.

It shouldn't be a surprise, since talk radio has long taken over the AM dial. Why not transpose this on the Internet? I'm sure one day every talk show program will find its way to the Internet and, like music, you will be able to find the niche show that meets your fancy.

Until that actually happens, here are a couple suggestions I've got bookmarked for return listening. For the latest Internet and tech related news, check out www.kenradio.com. Ken Radio is pioneer webcaster Ken Rutkowski who "delivers Tech News with Attitude, every day."

Quite amazingly, Rutkowski assembles relevant news and interviews with key industry experts and delivers this on a daily basis. On a recent show, he featured new services from Google, such as their toolbar add-on for Internet Explorer (toolbar.google.com).

Ken Radio features a story on music industry woos, wi-fi and the wireless metro, and tech industry innovations just to name a few. I am amazed at the work that must go into each daily production. And how does Rutkowski make money doing this?

The site is not cluttered with ads or the obvious corporate sponsor. He must be doing something right, to last the three years he's been in business.

Another worthwhile listen is www.webtalkguys.com. Husband and wife team, Robert Greenlee and Dana Greenlee host the daily show that's been running since February 1999.

Webtalkguys differ from Ken Radio by doing more "how to" features that appeal to web professionals. Along with industry trends there are stories on search engine optimization, web marketing, privacy issues, etc.

As we all get inundated with information, I find sites like these increasingly beneficial in sorting through all the noise and providing a distilled version of what's happening in the industry.

As knowledge workers, which we are all becoming, having the right data source can make all the difference. ;-)

Burt Lum is one click away at www.brouhaha.net.