My friend Lee Abrams has agreed to come to Los Angeles and talk about satellite radio, the future of mobile music media and take questions from students, professors, graduates and the media. Abrams kicks off a USC Thornton School of Music series of new events known as "Thornton Hot Topics" in which cutting edge issues relating to music media can be discussed. Nothing is off limits. Lee is a very creative guy -- a thinker who has distinguished himself in the terrestrial radio field for many years.
When Abrams decided to leave terrestrial radio for satellite radio -- before most of us knew what satellite radio was going to be and well before they had their first subscriber -- it certainly got my attention. Why is this well-respected programmer defecting to the evil world of satellite radio? For one thing he was a man ahead of his time. And this opportunity to hear him and talk with him will give some new perspective to the future of mobile media.
I will ask Lee about the Internet and how it fits in with satellite radio. I want to know if Abrams thinks satellite operators missed their chance to really really reinvent radio. Lee will also have some insights into what radio stations are doing to alienate young listeners and I'm sure he's got some advice for record labels about music downloading and the decline of the CD. What would you like to ask Lee Abrams? (Post a question below).
The Lee Abrams "Hot Topics" event takes place Monday, September 18 at 12 noon in ASI auditorium. You must reserve a seat and can do so by emailing scmusind@usc.edu. Feel free to invite interested friends from other USC schools if you think they'd have an interest in this topic. Seating is on a first come basis.
