Think: Local, Local, Local

This blog is all about developing local music scenes. Noise:Floor is a multi-media concept about local music.

This blurb also talks about the future of local media.

Let me take this a step further. Local media needs to highlight their local talent as much or more than they do national/international talent.

It has been happening here in the Denver metro area. There is an unprecedented amount of coverage of local music.

And it is warranted. There's an explosion of local talent.

But there's still a bias toward bands that are going to break away from the local scene and make an impact nationally or internationally. There's more buzz about the bands that are being checked out by major labels and about bands being invited to the most prestigious festivals.

Perhaps a true local focus will equally tout talented bands that have no interest in leaving the area.

The Consolidation of Local Media - SeekingAlpha: "None other than The Kraft Group and Pallotta's The Raptor Fund have ponied up $20 million of investment capital in Plum TV, the network of local stations in high-powered markets like The Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard, Aspen and Vail -- 6 stations currently, with two more awaiting FCC approval.

"Media powerplayers Robert Pittman [Time Warner's (TWX) AOL] and Tom Freston [Viacom's (VIA) MTV] also led the round. While not yet public, a group this smart must know something. In the end, who really wants the 'pablum' of mass produced media in an age of consumer control and customization [think Starbucks (SBUX) and Apple's (AAPL) iPod, where the consumer controls everything about the end product]. And, who really wants the YouTube antics of candyies dropped in Coke bottles (except for momentary entertainment value and a good chuckle).

"Perhaps the future of media -- and the investment dollars that follow it -- will be refocused on local markets and local communities. Like MTV and Freston's vision earlier, Plum is really about influence, not reach. Do more 'eyeballs' matter? Or do the RIGHT eyeballs matter? Most savvy marketers vote for the latter. So do Kraft, Pallotta, Freston, Pittman.

"Consolidation of local media -- while keeping the local content -- may be what the likes of ClearChannel and others ultimately missed."

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