Originally appeared in Podcast Movement
Two hotels in Washington, DC have put a twist on tradition from the early days of radio broadcasting. Until the radio boom of the 1930s, hotels played a major role in the business by “providing shelter and credibility” to new stations, writes James Careless for Radio World.
Now, the LINE Hotel is home to a “lobby-based internet radio station,” Full Service Radio. It offers 34 weekly audio programs from local producers, live or on demand. The station uses a collaborative business model to provide a wide variety of content.
In early December the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel seriously stepped into audio with Big Whig Media, “a full-fledged multimedia production facility.” The studio is designed for podcasts, radio, and streams, plus TV editing and multi-camera video.
“Perhaps it’s too much to call any of this a rebirth of hotel-based radio or even a trend in hotel-based internet radio,” Careless says. “But the special nature of hotels seems to have enduring media appeal.”
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