Why radio has got it right (and TV hasn't)

I was wondering the other day, what is with all of these geo-based restrictions on content from such streaming sites as Hulu or Netflix? I mean, I’m sitting here in Australia and I can’t possible watch TV from overseas. Well, not without going about it in a possibly illegal manner. So I’m not saying go do that. Because you totally shouldn’t.

What I AM saying is what about the little old radio? You know, that thing that’s been around for more than 100 years and yet still remains to be rather popular. Try saying that about other technologies! Fax? Ha!

The thing about radio is that I can stream one of fifty million radio stations from all over the world without a problem. Right here from where I am, in Australia. No dramas about VPNs or DNS things or whatever switcharoos. SHOUTCast was a huge network back in the day before AOL took Winamp and threw it around a bit until it didn’t work anymore. Then there was Live365 which I thought was such a great way to broadcast online without having to worry about servers and IceCAST and that kind of jazz. (Speaking of Jazz, fusion jazz ftw!).

Anyways, so why I can’t do the same in TV? Actually, I know the answer. It’s probably not even worth asking. It’s just all about the mullah. All this licencing this and licencing that. It’s big corporate fat cats and… and… OK I will breathe now.

I might just go and listen to BBC Radio 1 right now actually. And keep whipping that llama.

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