Before quaffing the champagne tonight, we’ve got a slightly different take on the usual Quick Hits. Today, we have a roundup of online publications and writers’ predictions and premonitions about what the streaming and digital audio world has to look forward to in 2016. Continue Reading
The U.S. Copyright Office announced that it is undertaking a public study of the country’s safe harbor provisions. Section 512 was introduced in 1998 as part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and its safe harbor laws provide some liability limitations on usage for Internet-based services. The rules focus on protecting services from liability due to copyright infringements occurring in user-generated content. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Podcasting predictions for 2016; new music careers from podcasts; when companies make the software and the systems; Kickstarter’s independent fulfillment report. Continue Reading
Gracenote announced plans to add an equalizer feature based on song metadata. The Gracenote Dynamic EQ automatically shifts equalizer settings based on data points such as the song’s genre, mood, era, and acoustic profile. Continue Reading
Consumer spending on digital products will grow a projected 5.1% to $2.1-trillion in 2019, according to McKinsey’s newly released State of Global Media Spending report. Advertiser spending on digital is growing even faster, and the trend, when combined with new CRB webcaster rates, might have implications for radio stations. Continue Reading
Live365, one of the most venerable brands in this industry, is affected by shifting regulations that change the cost of music on January. In addition, the company’s investors have pulled support from the company, forcing an immediate financial crisis. RAIN News has learned that as a result, nearly the entire staff was laid off this week. Continue Reading
Never a dull moment in the streaming audio business! Here, a glance back at milestones. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: SoundExchange’s 2014 unclaimed royalties drop; a primer on streaming inequalities; Pirate Bay co-founder at it again. Continue Reading
Following up on some earlier speculations, Apple has filed for the U.S. trademarks for additional Beats stations. French website Consomac reported that Apple now has applications under review for Beats 2 through Beats 5. Continue Reading
Smooth Jazz Chicago, a RAIN Pureplay of the Day recipient, announced that it will end its three-year Internet radio business on December 31. Founder Rick O’Dell explained that the business cannot afford the new webcaster royalty rates without small webcaster protection which is expiring. Continue Reading
David Lowery has filed an attempted class action lawsuit against Spotify, charging that the streaming service knowingly and willingly distributed music without the correct mechanical licenses. Lowery is a vociferous critic of streaming music services.
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Unsettled issues are flowing into the industry mindspace following the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) ruling of new webcast royalty rates to labels on December 16. Broadcast law attorney David Oxenford untangles what the issues mean to broadcasters and small webcasters. Continue Reading