The Web has long been a place of regular shakeups and changes, and one more is well on its way as reports indicate that BRS Media has passed the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) initial evaluation steps for a new top-level domain to be offered: .RADIO. With the completion of this step, BRS Media Inc. will be allowed to operate the .RADIO top-level domain registry, and that means some very real possibilities coming out in the not too distant future.

BRS Media has had plans in the works to get the .RADIO domain registry for years, dating back, reportedly, as far as the 2009 National Association of Broadcasters show. BRS Media rapidly moved along that particular path, filing an application for the domain with ICANN for the .RADIO domain as part of ICANN's new generic top-level domain (New gTLD) program. The application, said to be extensively detailed in nature, then went through a process of seven separate evaluation panels, and emerged out the other side of the gauntlet July 3, where ICANN announced that the application had passed the initial evaluation process.

As part of the initial evaluation process, the seven panels sought to determine of BRS Media's application was in keeping with the requirements established by ICANN's Applicant Guidebook, seeking to determine that BRS Media had the necessary capability to manage a top-level domain registry. More specifically, the panels sought to determine if BRS had sufficient resources in terms of finance, operations and technology to maintain said domain, and the initial applications seemed to say that was indeed the case. News of several new top-level domains has emerged lately, including the New York City-specific .NYC and the gambling-themed .POKER.

BRS Media's chairman and CEO, George T. Bundy, offered the company's perspective on clearing the initial evaluation stages “With over 15 years of running a successful Top-Level Domain, few applicants have the depth of experience and understanding to operate and market, an ‘Industry Specific’ New gTLD. Our history has proved, our commitment to administer the .RADIO top-level domain in a professional, reliable, secure and all-inclusive way, while at the same time encouraging innovation and openness in the .RADIO domain space.”

It probably didn't hurt that, reportedly, BRS Media was the first to bring out the top-level domains known as .FM and .AM over 15 years ago. But getting in .RADIO, now, that might have some serious ramifications. The rise of Web-based radio, as shown in services like Spotify and Pandora, is making it quite clear that the Internet is out to be a major force when it comes to the distribution of music.

With such a variety of entrants in the field, it becomes a significant possibility that a lot of different Web firms could be interested in making the jump to .RADIO. That's a win for BRS Media, as well as for consumers who will likely find it easier to find music thanks to a series of specific sites operating under the .RADIO umbrella. Only time will tell how many firms make the jump, but it's likely that many will do just that.