The 2008 WWDC was a much anticipated gathering this year, because most everyone who follows these things believed that Jobs would announce a new 3G iPhone. They (we) were right. He did. The new product is a freshened, thinner, 3G network capable iPhone that costs much less than the first generation device. Everyone seemed happy.

Well, not everyone. There were few gripes about missing features (there always are). They include:

• No cut/paste
• No video (or video chat)
• No extra storage for data
• No Bluetooth built in for music listening
• No FM radio

Since this isn’t a Mac blog, we’ll concentrate on the issue of the last "missing feature."

In short, the iPod doesn’t NEED and FM radio built in. I must admit, the first time I saw Microsoft’s Zune, I was impressed, because it has an FM radio built in! I thought how…1990s! Now, keep in mind, I make most of my income programming a terrestrial radio station. Why would I slag FM terrestrial radio?

Simple. Because the transmission of energy through a big long piece of metal that vibrates isn’t the only way we distribute our content anymore. We stream it, we podcast it, we post it on the web. And as the iPod develops, it can receive all of those forms of data that contains the content we create. Why do we need a 21st century device that’s bigger and more expensive, just so it can receive 20th century data transmissions? We don’t.

Almost all of our terrestrial broadcasts (including HD) are streamed these days, and now that the new iPhone operating system is coming in July, there are developers working on software that will allow iPhones to stream audio just like a PC. With the bandwidth of 3G networks available, there will be nothing to stop radio listeners from listening to their favorite terrestrial broadcasts on their handheld devices.

CBS and AOL have already formed a partnership to make CBS stations available on the iPod (and won a design award for the FREE software that will be released in July). More will follow. No, virtually ALL will follow.

Data Processing Error Affects Houston PPM Numbers, Briefly – I’m sure this product from Arbitron will be so much better and more accurate than all the others.

DJ admits to faking disease and spending donations – 7 years in the slammer, plus restitution.

Cincy Hispanic Community Not Happy With CC’s WLW – At one time or another, EVERY community in Cincinnati has been unhappy with WLW. That happens when you’re the massively successful radio behemoth "The Big One" is.

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Clear Channel cites growth in shorter ads. First "adlets," then "blinks" can "burps" be far behind?

BE Addresses New Trends In HD Radio Adoption. At least somebody’s addressing it. The stores that sell the radios don’t seem to be.

Radio Host revisits the good ol’ days. Who doesn’t want to visit the "good ol’" days?

• Brit Presenters bare it to show off their torsos.
• 120,000 pageviews and counting for Mitt Romney’s on camera, but off-air talk with host Jan Mickelson at WHO in Des Moines. The confict? Romney’s tired of talking about being Mormon. Well, that’s too bad. He’ll still be asked about it. If Romney would make the arguments on the air he made off the air, he’d do a better job promoting his candidacy. It’s really interesting to see the differences between candidates on the air and off the air.
• Cleveland Wheeler returns home to Chattanooga to launch U-97.3 and U-99.3, playing classic hits. Radiofans both laud and condemn Wheeler for his part in the creation of "The Morning Zoo," with all the bells, whistles and honking horns.
• As the day of Clear Channel’s return to private ownership draws closer, Highfields Capital, a group originally against the buyout of the group switches sides and loads up on CC stock, lured by the higher price.

Topics that will be specifically addressed:

• Talent
• HD Radio
• Streaming
• Voice Tracking
• Employment and Management issues

Stay tuned.

The RadioFan Blog is launching to provide another from-the-inside look at the industry, edited by a currently working radio programming executive. The opinions express here are his (or hers…okay, HIS) and do not in any way represent the opinions of the company he works for.

Stay tuned.