.radio

Status:	Proposed
country:	International
Registry Provider:	Minds + Machines
Type:	Generic
Category:	Media
More information:

radio is a new generic top level domain name (gTLD) proposed to ICANN's new gTLD expansion program.

Current Applicants

1. BRS Media, Inc. is an e-commerce media dedicated in helping traditional and interactive media companies to develop and establish their brand online through the .radio TLD. The company started its .radio TLD project in 2009. The company selected Minds + Machines to assist in its application for the .radio string with ICANN and to serve as its back-end registry service provider. George Bundy, Chairman & CEO of BRS Media confirmed that the company's application for the .radio string has been submitted to ICANN in April 2012. In a statement, he emphasized his strong commitment to administer the .radio TLD in a professional, secure and reliable manner and to promote innovation and openness within the domain name space. The company already runs the radio themed ccTLDs, .fm and .am.
2. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) application for the .radio gTLD was confirmed by Jean-Paul Philippo, President of the organization. According to him, the .radio TLD will serve the best interest of the entire radio community. He said, "The EBU's acquisition of this TLD will serve a greater good, bringing tangible benefits to radio broadcasters and listeners everywhere. Our application includes the firm, written support of the EBU's seven sister unions, representing the interests of around 50,000 radio stations with a potential reach of some 5.5 billion listeners." EBU's bid for the .radio string is supported by the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU). Its application is a Community Application.
3. Donuts (Tin Dale, LLC), one of 307 applications submitted by the company
4. Afilias

Developments

During ICANN 44 in Prague, the EBU requested permission to become a recognized observer in ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). This move raised questions of conflicts of interest, given that GAC's advice is to be strongly considered by the ICANN Board during application proceedings.

In July 2012, BRS Media chairman and CEO George Bundy sent a letter to Heather Dryden, head of the GAC. He noted a conflict of interest in EBU's application for .radio and requested that EBU withdraw its application. The EBU went on to be accepted into the GAC, and the acceptance notice can be seen here.

EBU published a statement prior to receiving BRS Media's letter that clarified and defended their position, stating, "The EBU represents the interests of the global radio community and can be relied on to provide a secure namespace to facilitate and speed the radio industry's digital, online evolution. Our responsibility is to every member of the radio community – not only the financially able or best equipped and to provide protection against cyber squatting or competing interests, who exploit commercial opportunities... It is not in the public interest to see (dot-radio) managed as a generic TLD by a non-radio stakeholder with commercial interests."

In an August 8th interview with Radio World, Bundy played down EBU's statement by saying that, "There is no advantage the EBU has with regards to 'nonprofit' in running a Top Level Domain. If you look at VeriSign, a publicly trade for-profit corporation, running dot-com and at PIR (Public Interest Registry), a nonprofit corporation that operates dot-org, to the end user there is very little difference... with regards to price, polices and usage."

In the same interview, Bundy listed several reasons that ICANN should pick BRS Media, including the company's notable amount of "experience dealing with industry-specific domain names" and the fact that BRS Media has only applied for one, whereas larger companies like Afilias have applied for numerous domain names and "care no more about radio than they do the color pink."

According to ICANN rules, applicants with a "community" designation -- those who operate its proposed new gTLD for the benefit of a 'clearly designated community' -- will automatically receive "precedence for designation". If EBU can prove to ICANN's new gTLD review panel that it represents an entire community and does not lose the "community" designation due to challenges from other parties, it will automatically be the chosen bidder for .radio. Otherwise, .radio will be rewarded to the highest bidder through an auction process.

Internet policy specialist Kathryn Kleiman believes taking into account the future of radio should be important. Her opinion is that, "BRS Media, Afilias and Tin Dale provide a more open platform for a range of new radio services that are developing now and in the future. It is a different version than the EBU application, which will allow registration of domain names to more traditional media, e.g., licensed broadcasters and licensed amateur radio clubs. An open discussion of visions of the future of radio online would be very timely right now."

Critics have cited EBU's own Code of Ethics, which contains a "Conflict of Interest" section, as supporting evidence that EBU should not be given an advantage for .radio. The Code of Ethics can be seen [here].

Top-Level Domain

Governmental Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN as they relate to concerns of governments, particularly matters where there may be an interaction between ICANN's policies and various laws and international agreements or where they may affect public policy issues (ICANN Bylaws).