Internet Radio Day of Silence... Wha?

Insufficient information, one side only being presented.

Surely performers' rights have to be observed on music played?

Eighteen months retrospective application seems very harsh.

I read something about this a couple of weeks ago. The fee is something like .06 per song. If an internet station plays one song every five minutes, 24 hours a day it would be just under $520 per month.

That's not a lot of money, but you'd have to have a lot of people clicking your ads. And, commercials haven't hit the internet radio like regular radio, so that revenue is practically non-existent.

While I think that's a fairly low amount per month to pay for an internet business, the 18 month retroactive part does create a hardship for many. However, they should have known they should be paying the performers something.

One argument I read was that while the internet radio is building recognition, the fee's should be waived. I don't think the musicians / performers would agree. They didn't get their equipment free while breaking into the business and waiting to make it big.

I voted to pay MORE because I want artists, like my son and lots of my friends, to get something for their music.

I love Pandora, (it picks music based on what you like, or indicate you like, and feeds you new music and artists you may not have heard of before.

That's good, but I want it to be extra good for the performers.)

Joe(I also wrote these thoughts to Pandora)Nation

I have pandora on my auto-bill pay donation list.

Jeez, without trying to sound like a commercial, it's only 36 bucks a year, what do you do send them two bucks every two weeks?

A couple of weeks back we had some friends over to play Scrabble. (My playing name is Deadly Ray.) Anyway they were moaning on about the songs of the early sixities (before the Beatles.)( Yes, children, there was music before the Beatles. Not good music but music nonetheless.)

I started Pandora with The Four Seasons and Bill Haley & the Comets. The thing played tune after tune for the next two hours and those two never noticed how badly they were being beaten.

Joe(They left happy, pulpy from the beating, but happy)Nation

I did a thread about Pandora here, ummm........probably about a year ago. I love it, for the reasons you mentioned (it introduces you to new artists that are similar to the singers/groups you like).

But when I clicked on your link, Joe, I didn't get anything. It just took me right to my own Pandora account. Did you post an article re: Pandora? Am I to understand that Pandora is now going to charge a fee for their service?

Or maybe you meant that Pandora hasn't been paying the artists the usual royalty?



True, but it's not as if you can actually download music from Pandora. They just give you a taste of each group or singer's work. I know that if I want to "own" a copy of that song, I'll have to 1) buy the CD or 2) download from itunes (or a similar site).

Pandora performs the same function as any radio station -- it gives new performers and groups a chance to be heard. There was a time when new groups/singers would pay disc jockeys (under the table) to give their music air time (before that was outlawed).

Sorry about the link, straycat, I should have cut and pasted the letter that appeared on "Internet Radio Silence Day". Basically it was the folks at Pandora trying to elict sympathy from listeners over the issue of increased royalties.

Techspot writes elsewhere: Link
Day of Internet Radio silence comes as royalty increases loom
By Justin Mann, TechSpot.com
Published: June 26, 2007, 8:50 PM Est
For those that haven't been paying attention the past few months, there has been a huge uproar over the proposed royalty increase that is due to take effect next month. While getting it shot down has strong support from a variety of places, the calls for help don't seem to be doing much. That said, today marked a significant day for Internet Radio, as many broadcasters, large and small alike, voluntarily entered a state of silence.

The objective is to get more people aware of the situation, which SaveNetRadio.org has been preaching about for some time. With the deadline for effectiveness on July 15th and the royalties retroactive more than a year and a half, we've had a lot of coverage on the threat the fee increase poses to many Internet radio stations.

Those who are participating aren't just small potatoes, either. Large companies such as Yahoo! Launch, Rhapsody, Pandora.com, Live365, MTV Online and a plethora of others. Clearly, whether it is big business pushing the content or some guy in his basement, the royalty increases have been met with discontent at every turn.

You can find out more information from SaveNetRadio or see a list of participators. The future of Internet Radio is, indeed, "tentative" at best.


Joe(tin ear) Nation

The Four Seasons as in Vivaldi or Valli?

I'll give Pandora a go, see what all the fuss is about.

Hey, that's impressive! Thanks, guys.

I'm going with Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Webb and Etta James. I may have confused it a bit.

(btw to sign in, I had to be an honorary American. I hope you don't mind. )

Just added Hayseed Dixie.

Yee-hah!

That seriously sucks. But thank you for posting the note, Joe.




Hey, McTag! You're getting more American already! :wink:

So is that the end of that thread then? I am grateful for the introduction to the wonderful world of internet radio.

I am now going to start a rock station for me with Chuck Berry and Little Richard selections.

Eh, what was the question again? The labourer is worthy of his hire.

Rock on, McTag.

I have a Blues Station, a late night Station and (I am so ashamed.) a Nora Jones Station (very soft background wallpaper music)

I also have a Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, head banging (for me) station.

Joe(driving music gets me going in the mornings)Nation

Saw this in the paper today, and thought of you...


http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2129125,00.html

It's complicated, isn't it? I find it odd that the Internet radio folks haven't figured out a way to generate revenue from their listeners. Couldn't the radio station get a penny every time some listener clicked on the band's CD page. Couldn't there be levels of membership: for 0 dollars you get to have 1 station for which you may choose three performers (Pandora would then do it's magical association stuff) For XY Dollars you get ten stations and up to a dozen performers and for WOXX dollars, all the stations your little selfish heart wants and no limits on stylists. and NO ads.

That's the way the sell the weather, why not music?

Joe(What I really want is a headset that changes music as I run...{okay, now something faster, no. no , faster than that)Nation