So after looking around on the web in search of some interesting customer co-creation contests and products, I found this (quite interesting, yet not good-looking) website (http://www.co-creatornetwork.com/index.htm) in which you could ‘buy’ your own airtime, and create a radioshow.
For 85$ a week you get an one hour show. Although the theme at this point is your general enlightenment, and transcending your earthly state, it’s an interesting idea to transfer this idea to mainstream radio. If for example you are a fan of techno music, only listening to your radiostation, because it really fits your taste of music but you miss certain songs, or think you could do a better job. It might be an idea for radiostations to rent out hours, or give them away in a competition (in which listeners give either creative suggestions, or send playlists in), as a price.
In the Marketing sense of this story. The consumer (listener) loves the product, but he/she has an idea that it could be better, they could add value to the product! By renting out these hours you let the consumer in on ‘designing’ the product, re-defining and (hopefully) improving your image, but also increasing the value of your product (for the designer, and hopefully to many other listeners. You could even ask the other listeners to vote a ‘no-or-no-go’ for the program.
Anyway, the possibilities are endless, and some good consideration and thought, it might actually work out!
Consumer Value Creation 
Nice post Ton and a great example of value creation. I honestly believe that this could work and offer benefits for both the firms and the consumers, if the costs are minor. Concerning the efficiency criterion that we discussed in class (session 1), do you think that this new system will be adopted?
Well it depends. I know the big-shot stations in the Netherlands pay up to a million per year on salary to well-known DJs, so the niche stations (metal, techno, hardcore, country, themed-stations) might pick-up better on this idea. I mean, the big-station rather have DJs make the most hours they can, if they pay so much for them.
Also the link between a listener to another listener is bigger with niche-stations than with general stations. If a metalhead takes one hour of a big station, plays his metal, while the general listener wants your billboard music, it might be a big issue.
I find this business example quite interesting and exciting (due to my personal interest as well)!! One thing that the company should take into consideration is a very important and sensitive legal element of the institutional environment in such a context. To simply put it, what happens if a consumer who rented a time slot in the radio station, airs something inappropriate (e.g. uncensored lyrics of a “spicy” song, use of bad language on air)? And let’s assume someone feels offended by that and wants to proceed legally. How is going to be responsible for that; the company or the consumer-producer? Such a value system requires a quite refined institutional arrangement!!
Nevertheless…it remains a very cool idea!!
Dimitris