Talk:Narrowcasting

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[edit] Narrowcasting?

This seems like a new term for an old idea. There is also no discussion history which always makes me wonder. Anyone have history on the origin of this term?

This is the part that made me really wonder

"Narrowcasting is a form of broadcasting, if the latter term is understood as the "wide dissemination of content through mechanical or electronic media" as defined by Dr. Jonathan Sterne of McGill University."

Dr. Stern doesn't even have a wiki article himself, which is pretty odd if he's the guy who defined narrowcasting, whichi is how this reads. There are also not enough ref's (imho) to make this seem legit.

Testerer 19:05, 2 February 2007 (UTC)

McGill University Staff Directory lists Dr. Jonathan Sterne as the Graduate Program Director of Communication Studies. I was able to find numerous citations of the text, including a course at Simon Fraser Universty in Communication in Dr. Fleras' Curriculum Vitae. If these are part of a hoax, this is elaborate one.

Michael C. Keith is listed in Wikipedia (GO THERE) so I suppose that makes him legitimate. We use his text The Radio Station in our Radio Broadcasting course. This Focal Press/Elsevier 6th Edition text, copyright 2004 ISBN:0240-80530-5 lists Narrowcasting in it's index as on pages 15, 42, and 348. The page 348 citation is in the book's Glossary where it describes Narrowcasting as "Directed programming; targeting specific audience demographic." The page 15 citation appears to credit Narrowcasting with the salvation of the radio industry after TV. What more is needed to remove the shadow hanging over this term? Rburtnick 23:41, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Cabvision

"An example of narrowcasting in this context is the installation of the Cabvision network in London's black cabs which shows limited pre-recorded television programmes interspersed with targetted advertising to taxicab passengers."

How is this narrowcasting? It seems like just advertisements inside cabs, which is also not new. What sets this apart from ordinary advertising. The people who get into cabs in London certainly cannot share anymore in common than taxi goers of New York City or LA? How is putting TVs in Cabs narrowcasting. What about the advertisements is specifically targeted to what substantiated group of people?Testerer 16:26, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

• If a narrowcast is a presentation to a narrow or concentrated audience then I would consider Cabvision narrowcasting. In putting together the service (at least according to their website) they prepared market research of typical cab users so as to market their advertising to certain demographics (see [1]) for example black cabs are mainly used by business people and tourists. This targetted approach (note the specific content of the channels) would appear to be precisely what narrowcasting is trying to achieve. Moreover viewing data is returned to the company so as to identify those channels selected by cab passengers, further suggesting the tool is a advertsising/marketing/consumer reference. It does not set narrowcasting aside from "ordinary" advertising but more catergorises a form of advertising. And, just to clear up any suspicion, I do not work for Cabvision! Dick G 17:10, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for the response, a few comments. I don't think you can consider taxi users in London consisting of tourists and business types to be a targeted audience. I think what you have described is simply advertising. Perhaps this should be merged with that article? There are very few, if any real references in this article. I don't think (if I were an advertising guy) that tourists and business people would come close comparison as far as demographics are concerned. I totally get what this article tries to say, but isn't it just a (possibly made up term) for what already happens all the time? Wouldn't the commercials during Soap Operas fit into your definition of narrowcasting? Or is it just good marketing? Perhaps even old, antiquated concepts in marketing that (to my understanding) are not explained as narrowcasting, but merely good strategy based on real demographics? The article now mentions something called Interactive Narrowcasting? That one made me laugh, I don't think it is really interactive simply by installing a touch screen and sending back data to the sponsor. I think that the reason, Narrowcasting is a bad term for what you are describing is because it seems to define the format of delivered content. Every time someone makes an advertisement and delivers that to a targeted audience is it narrowcasting? Also, what if the target group is 50 million strong? Like the ads you see on the Super Bowl? Those are all targeted to a specific demographic that watches the game, yet the all take place sequentially and for the most part are, entirely unrelated campaigns? To say nothing of the fact that the word "narrow" would lend itself to actually being a smallish or marginal group of people. This article needs refs, serious help, and perhaps a rewrite or a considered merge. Is there an article on macrocasting?, broadcasting to large groups of people for the purpose of intentionally broadcasting a message or content to a large group? ;) Testerer 04:48, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

• I suspect you're right in that it is another term for a marginal category of advertising. The problem with categorising things is that one person's definition differs from another's. I would suggest the article remains but is substantially re-worked to make the point that it is not a distinct concept in itself but more of an "in vogue" advertising industry term. The weight it is afforded in teh article is certainly disproportionate to its usage. When I get some time, I'll take this on Dick G 12:24, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

I might suggest you take a look at more references to "digital signage" or "Point of Purchase Advertising,"or possibly terms such as Customer-Facing Digital Media. In recent years, several participants in the "Digital Signage" industry make up an estimated $11 billion market. Since the market is gaining a large degree of popularity, the industry leaders are now attempting to standardize the technology. Among other considerations presented at the last industry summit, was a name for the industry that all could reference as the industry standard. "Narrowcasting" was but one suggestion at the summit and one of increasing acceptance throughout the industry. As a participant in the industry myself, I see this as an acceptable reference as a subset of the whole theory of "Narrowcasting," while it fulfills the basic elements which define Narrowcasting as t applies to the advertising industry.Ill post a bot more on tis later. But I am certain you will see my point when I am done. (Pkelley, Coastal Datatech, LLC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.214.28.115 (talk) 19:43, 26 March 2008 (UTC)