Pandora Radio

Pandora radio is a free music listening service provided by the Music Genome Product only to citizens of the United States.  Launched in August 2005, Pandora has gained much popularity since its inception. By use of Pandora’s website, DVD integration, and phone applications, the site has millions of followers. Despite posting a revenue of $138 million for the 2011 fiscal year, Pandora also reported a net loss of $1.8 million.

Pandora radio, much like the music sharing apps that proceeded it, must be always evolving to keep up with modern technology. Though their next business move is highly secretive and mostly speculation, signs point to conquering the automobile audio industry. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times dating back to October, 2010, Co-founder Tim-Westergren discusses this possibility. He reports that the average person listens to 17 hours of radio a week, with half the time being in an automobile. Tim also claims to have been working with auto audio companies such as Pioneer with hopes of integrating Pandora radio into the consumer’s automobile. Pandora is also allegedly working with the likes of Ford and other motor corporations. Tim states “our goal is to be in every new car that rolls off the manufacturing line.”

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/21/business/la-fi-1021-ct-facetime-pandora-20101019

Television and the mass media

Since its inception in the early 1900s, the television has been a main source of news, entertainment, and current events to the American public. The television set was an instant success because of its entertainment versatility, quick broadcasting, and ease of transferring information. The television has evolved drastically during its almost century long life. Viewers within the first few years were only able to access a few different channels giving them few programming options. The advent of cable broadcasting brought a whole new era to the television. It gave the viewers many more channel options and greatly increased the quality of aired television. Other advancements in technology, particularly the rise of the internet, have further moved the television industry to heights of technology and popularity far beyond what its inventors had imagined. Television programming is so advanced that viewers are offered over a thousand channels, are able to pick what they want to watch, and can even fast forward and rewind live TV.

The media uses television as a means to contact the public. Television, movies, and Hollywood have become so powerful and influential over the public that television and movie premiers are followed by millions of people all around the world. For example, the finale of HBO’s series Entourage aired yesterday with millions of viewers. link

Engineering, the Media, and Technology

I am Jeremy Hebbel and I am a junior at the University of Maryland. I am currently studying mechanical engineering. In this field of study, technology is heavily relied on. The field of engineering uses technology to build and test things. By using proven methods and old technology, we can expand the horizons of new technology. In effect, most of the technology that we use on a daily basis is designed by some type of engineer. Consider the cars that we drive every day. Each model is designed by a team of engineers and rigorously tested. Prototypes are made, crashed, driven, and refined until they are deemed roadworthy. For example, Subaru is currently testing a prototype that is co-designed with Toyota. This article shows the model being track tested, one of many test phases before production.

Because engineers are innovators of technology and design, the media plays a large role in their profession. Though not directly involved in the process of engineering, the media helps to determine the need for a product. The media interacts with the public through surveys, questionnaires, and by following data trends. By polling the public, the media can serve as a platform for customers to give feedback back to the producer. Engineers are able to use the customers’ feedback to improve their product and to create other marketable products. Not only does the media help engineers design a marketable product, it also serves to advertise their product. Television and radio ads have been used for almost a century now to advertise and promote products to consumers. These advertisements are seemingly the most effective way for companies to promote the product they are selling.