mikemcguff.com: NASA.gov gets alternative online radio through RFC Media

In 2010, I told you how Pat Fant, the man who signed on Rock 101 KLOL and 94.5 The Buzz KTBZ among others, was moving into the world of Internet streaming radio. That year he signed on HISD's K12 Radio.

Now Fant is back with an online radio station that reaches for the stars. Yeah, that was a cliche for saying he is working with NASA.

NASA has always stood for exploring the new and undiscovered. That now applies to music too.

The NASA mission of discovery and exploration is about to be showcased in a custom produced music radio station that is crafted specifically to speak the language of tech-savvy young adults. Third Rock: America’s Space Station, is set to lift off with a New Rock/Indi/Alternative format on Monday, December 12 from the home page of nasa.gov, while also streaming live over NASA iPhone and Droid applications.

Discovery powers the work of NASA. It’s also what drives music lovers to the Internet in search of works by new recording artists not generally represented on terrestrial radio. Music is a powerful lure. So, to connect and build a bridge with the hard-to-reach generation, NASA is taking its blend of art and science to where the largest audience can be found.

NASA has selected Houston-based RFC Media to launch Third Rock. Programming is designed to showcase the continuing work of NASA in a fresh new context that is tuned to connect with the marketing-resistant crowd. Pat Fant, RFC Media Co-Founder and COO said, “Today’s 4G audience craves new music and enjoys finding it. We’ve done the digging and pulled out the best songs and the deepest tracks from a full spectrum of rock artists across many styles and decades. NASA features and news items are embedded throughout the programming alongside greetings by celebrity artists. This is the full body of work, unpredictable and full of surprise, without the customary mind-numbing repetition. And, computers don’t pick the music. People do.”

Cruze, RFC Media Co-Founder and President added, “No one knows more about discovering new rock than NASA! If you were a cool new song, where would you want to live? The explosion in talented new writers and musicians is more than traditional radio can digest. The exciting new music is being discovered online through specialty sites like Third Rock, where listeners will hear about great new artists way before their friends hear of them.”

And while discovery is great, opportunity is everything. NASA places a high value on education, and since “you can’t rock if you don’t work,” Third Rock will also help partner companies fill high-tech job openings in engineering, science, IT, etc. The Third Rock job connection feature will link the brightest and best to the marketplace of high-paying job opportunities.

It’s music discovery at the speed of light. Look for Third Rock in on-line radio listings such as the Radio tab of Apple’s iTunes. NASA will utilize a wide array of social media resources to help spread the word about Third Rock. Third Rock is another leap forward in NASA’s use of award winning digital outreach and social media.
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NASA is the world’s leading authority in GO FAST!

Houston-based RFC Media, LLC, designs, produces and executes private label radio stations for business, streaming custom content live online and across the mobile broadband networks. Our firm brings a rich history of broadcast management, programming and media marketing to private enterprise in the development of on-demand media.