RAIN Summit NYC, “Pureplays and Podcasts Day,” was hosted last Wednesday at The Greene Space by Jennifer Lane, CEO of RAIN Enterprises and president of RAIN Summits, and Kurt Hanson, founder of RAIN Newsletter.
See part 1 the wrap-up here, and part 2 here. The IAB Digital Audio Agency Day was held in the morning, before the RAIN Summit, and that wrap-up is here.
Panel: Streaming Music Licensing
Preeminent music rights attorney David Oxenford moderated a discussion that untangled the daunting knot of music licensing complexities. Panelists included Julien Simon (Deezer — delayed by bad weather), Brad Prendergast (SoundExchange — filled in for Julien Simon), Dick Huey (Toolshed), Matt DeFilippis (ASCAP), and Maurice Russell (Harry Fox Agency).
Oxenford started with a summary of music licensing 101, getting a round of laughter when he illustrated the intricacies of license types and requirements with a “simple” graphic:
David Oxenford’s “simple” illustration of music licensing got laughs, and illustrated how complicated music licensing is.
Most of the session was an expert dissection of compulsory licensing, statutory licensing, direct licensing, and how those methods apply to different types of music services (interactive and non-interactive), as well as different parts of music (the recording and the composition). For people who don’t have a comprehensive grasp of how it all works (most people!), the session was a concentrated tutorial, and the large, attentive audience soaked it in.
During the Q&A, the last question summed up the feeling in the room: “Does it have to be this complicated”? That one got some applause.
Panel: Innovative Online Audio Platforms
RAIN News editor Brad Hill moderated a panel of experts representing five leading interactive services, to discover what’s new, and what works. The panelists: Jim Colgan (SoundCloud), Eric Johnson (CBS Interactive), Kevin Stapleford (Slacker), Tom Cheney (Idobi), Thierry Ascarez (Radionomy).
The “Innovative Online Audio Platforms” panel
The panel discussed the value of user engagement, an aspect of interactive services which comes up repeatedly in conferences as a differentiator from AM/FM. three types of engagements were outlined: user contributions to the brand; users engaging with each other; and users carrying the brand out to their social circles.
Mobile use was an important topic — the RAIN Summit occurred one day after Triton Digital released a 2013 summary of streaming use, indicating that growth is driven primarily by mobile listening. The panel’s conclusion was that both the desktop and mobile platforms get development focus, and it’s important to carry the same basic experience across the divide. Kevin Stapleford (Slacker) emphasized that he doesn’t view a “mobile user” or a “desktop user” — but a user who lives a digital life in both realms.
This panel was the last of the day. A cocktail reception followed, giving attendees a chance to relax after a long day of learning, mingle, and network.