He’s been teasing the Newbridge diaspora for a while now, but now it’s known. Best Show host and producer Tom Scharpling announced the imminent return of his show via the show’s iTunes feed last week.
Now the date has been revealed on the Best Show website — and it’s tonight, December 16, streaming live at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT. It will be available as a podcast afterwards. This follows a test broadcast this past weekend to make sure the servers are up to the task.
The show is expected to follow the same format as on its WFMU run, which came to an end pretty much a year ago, on December 17, 2013. Only this time around there’s the hope that Scharpling can make some money–maybe even a living.
I’m rooting for him and the Best Show crew, in part because I’d like for there to be the possibility that a successful community radio show can make the jump to becoming a sustainable podcast and online radio enterprise. Up to now the precedent for growing a community radio show has been to syndicate, as seen with shows like The Grateful Dead Hour and Alternative Radio. Transitioning to digital-first is something that hasn’t been tested much in the community radio world.
Let’s just hope the Best Show servers are ready for the pent up demand.
