In a world of visual necessity, it's amazing to hear that video game podcasts have such a huge presence in video game media. It appears that almost every major media site offers at least a podcasts to its members, while others are still trying to break into video coverage.

 

With gamers so willing to subscribe to a podcast to listen either on their MP3 player, or through their favorite media player in the background of their game, why isn’t there more audio coverage of the video game industry?

 

I’ve noticed that some gamers are taking their collection of video game music, looping it and calling it a video game radio station. Other video game radio stations are simply a collection of talk shows put on by either the founders of a site, or a collection of various podcasts. It’s these practices that I think ultimately turn people off to the idea of a real video game radio station.

 

What are your guys’ thoughts on what could make or break a successful video game radio station?

I used to listen to "videogame radio" station a few years ago and even then they still had the same inherent problems as you've mentioned today. For videogame radio to be taken seriously and actually gain an audience it needs to be relevant, interesting and useful to the end listener.

Think about it, podcasts from the major sites are interesting, often offer insights to the world of videogame journalism and "insider information" to their viewers and has a tiny bit of news on the side. Listening to these on repeat, even if the original podcast is from different websites, is going to be dull.

In terms of videogame music, it's all well and good, but listening to the Hyrule Symphony, then the Halo sountrack and then the Legend of the Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon soundtrack is all well and good but they jar against each other and are just random.

For an effective station to exist, they would simply need to emulate "real" radio stations, there would need to be real, live DJs, who have interesting views and can present will with little obvious signs of nerves, interesting features and "interviews" (essentially the bulk of a podcast), with live, up-to-date news as it happens, a news round-up, which is scripted before hand and not done "on the fly" and finally the DJ at the time would need to choose videogame music that compliments one another, with classic and modern tracks and not just sticking to the same old music - Zelda, Final Fantasy, Halo and Kingdom Hearts.

If more were like that, they may be taken a bit more seriously. However, the sheer problem of licensing the music and paying the royalties will be challenging enough - let alone working with a team of at least 8 (4 DJs, 2 news readers and 2 news writers for a 12-18 hour station).

Yea, I see your points and they are completely inline with my goals for the station. Of course, that would require it being a full-time job, and like a lot of us that is something that is just incredibly difficult to do. For now.

I am hoping that by the end of the year, we can generate some sort of, if not enough, revenue to wear I can focus on the radio station literally 24/7, including morning shows, news breaks, review and preview shows... It's all a matter of time.

I think one of the things that makes Podcasts so successful is that they are often providing the audience with either insider information, or some form of elitist opinion. I listen to a few podcasts myself, because they provide another persons input on gaming news and things that are happening in the industry.

Having something that engaged the audience to think about things would go a long way to making it successful. Do what typical radio stations do, use your DJs to make people think about stuff. Get them involved, and keep them entertained.

I think that game radio stations have potential. I do think that a live dj would make the station feel more alive. I like the combination of game music and discussions on games. The podcast I work for does play on a game radio station and I have been a guest multiple times on the radio station's own roundtable show which is live. I feel that live shows and user interactivity are the two keys to making an incredible game radio station. I don't believe anyone has ever incorporated both in a major way.

Make sure to check out WRGT Radio, a great game radio station with a lot of potential. Go to http://www.wrgtradio.com to listen. You might even hear me on it.

I enjoy podcasts of one of our local gaming site a lot because you listen and do whatever you want at the same time. Like people do with radio at work..

But when I choose to tune our local radio stations, it's like a stream of bullshits mixed with 80's and 90's music. They have no problem with full-time DJs able to mix this! ;)

I didn't know there are these game music radios. Thanks for link!

Our major goal is to be 100% live, but it's hard to do when this isn't our sole job right now. But we're working towards it!

A game radio station would be an excellent idea. We had a TV channel (TechTV, now called G4) but G4 is not really about games like Tech TV was. A radio station would be a great addition to some of the satellite radio stations that occur.

Full of Game music, interview shows, contests. I'd start listening to the radio again.

In my mind a video game radio show is a great way to start hype about something as well as drive traffic to a site.

In the terms of satellite radio, I would love to have one to listen to that was just an all day thing. In fact I would prolly try to be on it or help it move forward in some way.