The Format? 'Third Rock,' Recruitment Ads

NASA's mission of discovery and exploration is being showcased in a custom-produced Internet music radio station that is crafted specifically to speak the language of tech-savvy young adults.

"Third Rock - America's Space Station" debuted this month with what's described as a New Rock/Indie/Alternative format, and operates at no cost to the government through a Space Act Agreement. Third Rock can be reached from NASA's home page, www.nasa.gov, and will soon be available through NASA iPhone and Droid mobile applications.

"NASA constantly is looking for new and innovative ways to engage the public and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers," said David Weaver, associate administrator for the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We have led the way in innovative uses of new media and this is another example of how the agency is taking advantage of these important communication tools."

NASA is also taking advantage of the availability of former broadcast radio professionals being shed in large numbers by today's consolidated media companies. The agency is collaborating with Houston-based RFC Media. The company's co-founders are Pat Fant, a veteran general manager of broadcast radio stations in Houston and Dallas who serves as RFC's chief operating officer, and a guy named Cruze, who has a resume filled with major-market radio programming credits dating back to 1985.

So, what's between the songs? Fant explains, "NASA features and news items are embedded throughout the programming alongside greetings by celebrity artists." Third Rock also will help partner companies fill high-tech job openings in the engineering, science and IT fields. In addition to the NASA Web Portal, the station will be available online in the future at the radio tab of Apple's iTunes and other sites.

Showing he still has a way with a corny DJ line, Cruze adds, "No one knows more about discovering new rock than NASA."

FMI: www.rfcmedia.com/thirdrockradio/