Clear Channel Communications Inc launched on Monday a free mobile program that enables listeners to text-message radio stations from their cell phones to make song requests, get real-time traffic reports and access other information. The launch follows a test in September of a $2.99-per-month mobile program with Cingular Wireless that allowed listeners of Top 40 New York station, Z100, to stream live broadcasts, listen to podcasts of interviews, access playlists, get real-time traffic reports and send song requests to disc jockeys via text-messaging.
But the leading radio operator said the test with Cingular, AT&T Inc's wireless unit that is being rebranded as AT&T, had been completed and was not going forward. Clear Channel said it was now focusing on a free model that does not involve any streamed broadcasts but instead focuses on text-messaging capabilities.
People with Cingular phones will be able to participate in the latest offering if they have phones that can provide text messaging or SMS (short message service). "Giving users an individualized, on-demand experience will strengthen listeners' connection with their favorite radio stations," said John Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel Radio. Clear Channel's new mobile program launch involves five New York radio stations and it plans to launch similar programs on up to 100 more stations by the end of 2008, beginning with stations in Salt Lake City and St Louis in the next 60 days.
The advertising-supported programs are available via most SMS carriers, while more advanced phones will be able to access the services via WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) with rich graphics and an enhanced user interface. Hogan would not disclose specific terms of the advertising deals, but said it was a straightforward model. "People will pay us for the number of people we are able to reach," he said. "This platform will add a level of accountability and credibility," he said. Users can send text messages to studios, take part in contests, make requests and dedications, and view the last 10 songs played. They can also check current traffic conditions, test their knowledge with station specific trivia, and participate in opinion polls.
Many content providers are jumping into the mobile industry. The Yankee Group consultancy has said it expects the mobile advertising market to more than quadruple to $275 million in 2007 and reach $2.2 billion in 2010. The market was about $60 million 2006.
Source: expressindia.com
Clear Channel launches mobile texting program
May 21, 2007, 4:54 pmOops, university errs in English syllabus, again
May 21, 2007, 4:48 pm
Blooper bandwagon seems to be on a graduating mode — from school to college that is. Latest to join the hall of ‘shame’ for mistakes in curriculum is Gujarat University, that too, in an attempt to modernize its syllabus. Though ‘revised’, the English curriculum for all the streams (undergraduate programmes) for the academic year 2007-08 throws up glaring errors.
For instance, the index page of the English programme synopsis says that the subject is to be at taught BA, BCom, BSc level, but excludes Fire Technology and Nursing where the subject is taught at the undergraduate level. Sources say that these courses were included in the earlier syllabus. However, lecturers teaching these courses have not yet received an intimation whether they have to continue with the old course or not.
Moving further, on page number 3, the heading states that the FYBA, BCom and BSc programmes have Compulsory English common for both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ streams. However, while the ‘A’ stream is meant for students from English medium, ‘B’ stream refers to students who did not take English as a subject in Class XII. Hence, the subject cannot be common for both the streams. Also, in many parts of the syllabus, headings are missing. For instance, the synopsis for the academic year 2007-08 sans any heading — which adds to the confusion as to whether the text is for the students of ‘A’ stream or ‘B’ stream.
In another part of the syllabus where the text for SYBA, stream ‘B’ is given, an above given paragraph is without a heading. There are also major problems in the way the syllabus is structured. For example, on page number 18, where the English Special course for third year students is given, the topics prescribed for Paper VI: History of English Literature, cites a range of topics beginning from Romantic Poetry to Pre-Raphaelite Poetry. However, according to sources in the English department of the University, most of these topics are already being taught in SYBA.
Moreover, the course content of English Language Teaching and Spoken English says that 28 marks have been allotted to Section-II, merely for Phonetic Transcription, for which, usually lesser marks are allotted. A source in the English department says that almost 14 marks of questions have been skipped over in this section. What’s more, the revised syllabus has not even seen the approval of the faculty of the Arts department as a meeting of the faculty was never called by the University to discuss the syllabus. Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Pradeep Prajapati says, "Although in a meeting of the Arts faculty conducted on December 20 last year, a resolution was passed to improve the existing syllabus and submit the same before February, 2007 and conduct a meeting of the arts faculty, no such meeting was called."
Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University, Parimal Trivedi, however, said that no mistakes have been found in the syllabus by him so far. He said, "We have already corrected the mistakes. However, it is the fundamental responsibility of the Board of Studies to correct these mistakes if there are any."
Source: expressindia.com
For instance, the index page of the English programme synopsis says that the subject is to be at taught BA, BCom, BSc level, but excludes Fire Technology and Nursing where the subject is taught at the undergraduate level. Sources say that these courses were included in the earlier syllabus. However, lecturers teaching these courses have not yet received an intimation whether they have to continue with the old course or not.
Moving further, on page number 3, the heading states that the FYBA, BCom and BSc programmes have Compulsory English common for both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ streams. However, while the ‘A’ stream is meant for students from English medium, ‘B’ stream refers to students who did not take English as a subject in Class XII. Hence, the subject cannot be common for both the streams. Also, in many parts of the syllabus, headings are missing. For instance, the synopsis for the academic year 2007-08 sans any heading — which adds to the confusion as to whether the text is for the students of ‘A’ stream or ‘B’ stream.
In another part of the syllabus where the text for SYBA, stream ‘B’ is given, an above given paragraph is without a heading. There are also major problems in the way the syllabus is structured. For example, on page number 18, where the English Special course for third year students is given, the topics prescribed for Paper VI: History of English Literature, cites a range of topics beginning from Romantic Poetry to Pre-Raphaelite Poetry. However, according to sources in the English department of the University, most of these topics are already being taught in SYBA.
Moreover, the course content of English Language Teaching and Spoken English says that 28 marks have been allotted to Section-II, merely for Phonetic Transcription, for which, usually lesser marks are allotted. A source in the English department says that almost 14 marks of questions have been skipped over in this section. What’s more, the revised syllabus has not even seen the approval of the faculty of the Arts department as a meeting of the faculty was never called by the University to discuss the syllabus. Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Pradeep Prajapati says, "Although in a meeting of the Arts faculty conducted on December 20 last year, a resolution was passed to improve the existing syllabus and submit the same before February, 2007 and conduct a meeting of the arts faculty, no such meeting was called."
Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University, Parimal Trivedi, however, said that no mistakes have been found in the syllabus by him so far. He said, "We have already corrected the mistakes. However, it is the fundamental responsibility of the Board of Studies to correct these mistakes if there are any."
Source: expressindia.com
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