PLANET ZEB! Internet Radio

The blogspot for the award-winning PLANET ZEB! Internet Radio, playing a better variety of 80s/90s-based rock and pop on Live365.com/iTunes/iRadio/TiVO and more. Come on in and read up on what's going on and chat with other Zebbites!!

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Well, now that I realize the ole station blog is actually attracting folks and is getting some good feedback in listener polls, I also realized I hadn't provided a new entry for it in a long, long time (laugh). It's been a really busy summer, and most of what's been keeping me busy is good... so I won't complain about it for now. It also hasn't gotten in the way of regular playlist updates and additions to the PLANET ZEB! library, so that's good too. All of a sudden, however, I realized that it'd been a month-and-some-odd since the last blog entry-- so I needed to come back and write a quick update! So here're the station-related things most highly ranked as important to talk about in my mind at this juncture:

1. As a result of useful listener feedback, I think the planetzeb.net website will be undergoing some more changes soon; the "News" feature will be cut back, and two-way discussion will be emphasized via this blog. If you'd like to join the chat, please get a blogger username and post away! I recently got a nice comment on the last post about PZ's playing Slade, for example, and it was nice to receive the compliment.

2. The costs of running the station are going up and contributions are DOWN... so for as much as I'd rather just be a music-playing kinda guy, I'm going to have to concentrate on emphasizing contributions and monthly goals soon; seriously, I have three options at this point: (1) sell PZ to an interested corporate entity, which'll probably dramatically alter the format, (2) get more in the way of contributions to help me pay the atrocious monthly bills around this place, or (3) shut down completely and walk away happy, at least, at the time I had on the air. I dunno which one will wind up happening just quite YET... but for those who find $$$ contribution campaigns distasteful, I would point out that the alternative is simply to have NO STATION! Apologies in advance.

3. More English stuff in the library! I added some Jamilia, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, and a few other British chart tidbits to the playlist the other day. Just another way I try to keep the station diverse and entertaining; the emphasis, of course, will remain on US hits and classic rock from global rock acts... but every so often it's fun to add a few foreign charters that didn't do anything in the States, just to expose the act to a new audience. Besides, I might as well exploit the family connections in the UK as much as I can with respect to picking brains for "great, fun song" ideas for the PZ library!!!

4. Email or leave a blog comment soon! I still love getting any and all feedback from listeners... and that's a result of how much fun it quickly became, back in PZ's "megagrowth period" in 2001-02, to hear from folks all over the world and get their thoughts, opinions, questions, etc. What a great way to make friends and have a nice chat! So don't be shy about telling me what's on your mind, and I hope it's a compliment! That's all for now; gotta run and try to get all of the website features updated, since it's mid-August and they're still on July (laugh). I TOLD you it was a busy summer. :)

Thanks for the support, y'all!!!!