Apple's iRadio Already Attracting New Talent

Without any official announcement, Apple's AAPL rumored iRadio service is already attracting fresh talent. Rob Hahn, more commonly known as Robbob, recently launched a new online station. While Spotify, Pandora P and other online music services are already available, Hahn hopes that Apple can provide him with the ultimate online radio experience. "Regardless of who we end up partnering with, and ideally we're looking for an equity investor where it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship and where there's some form of revenue sharing," Hahn told Benzinga. Hahn, who ran for governor of Minnesota a few years ago, describes his station as a "unique blend of rock music and short talk segments at various points." "We want to get as much visibility as possible to get an audience, so we're looking for partners," he said. "As I look at the stories [on the iRadio], I figured -- why not reach out to Apple and see if there's some interest?" Thus far, Apple has yet to provide Hahn with any comments regarding iRadio's rumored existence. "I don't think anyone knows what Apple's plans are," said Hahn, adding that the company seems to keep things "pretty buttoned up." "But I'm confident that we have something to offer that's a little different because it, among other things, still has the personal element involved," he said. "It's not like terrestrial radio that's too predictable, and it's not like Pandora or Spotify that's so technologically driven in terms of selecting songs without any personality to complement it." Before the iRadio rumors began to circulate, Hahn spoke to Pandora about a potential partnership. "They indicated that they were focused on what they were doing and that our idea was not congruent with what their immediate plans for the future," he said. "They were focused much more on the listener-driven, computer-selected music playlist, if you will." If Apple's online radio service is anything like the App Store, it will allow virtually anyone to bring and promote their ideas through iRadio. This could spark a number of changes within the industry and pave the way for a radio revolution. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ