When the Copyright Royalty Board set new figures for the 2016-2020 time frame, SoundExchange was vocal in its stance that the $.0017 and $0.0023 rates were too low. Now it is preparing to mount an appeal of that decision, filing a statement to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 31. Continue Reading
Webcaster host StreamLicensing runs a business model that pays label royalties on behalf of its member stations, funding the business with advertising target to combined audiences. But when that royalty cost dramatically escalated for U.S. webcasting in January, owner Marvin Glass sold to Stardome Media Group and warned the new owners that success would be an uphill climb. We spoke with a Stardome exec about the way forward. Continue Reading
The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) ruling of new webcast royalty rates to labels was published in the Federal Register yesterday, per process schedule. Now begins a one-month appeal window, during which participants may file litigation which contests the ruling. Who is permitted to appeal, and who is not? Click for details. Continue Reading
RAIN News has learned that Radionomy has pulled its stations from TuneIn’s U.S. listening audience, over the cost of music licensing under the new Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) royalty rates. Radionomy told RAIN News that the company asked TuneIn to geo-block the U.S. from Radionomy streams. It is the latest disruption in the webcast industry coming from CRB rates implemented on January 1. Continue Reading
One of the most interesting aspects of the full determination just released by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) is the detailed argument put forward by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) that radio simulcasts should pay a lower music royalty rate than pureplay webcasting (e.g. Pandora). The copyright judges praised the NAB witness presentations, but ultimately rejected the attempt. Continue Reading
The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) published its full determination, as expected following the very brief announcement of new webcast royalty rates on December 16. To whatever extent small webcasters cast a hopeful wish that the complete royalty rate decision would offer some sign of a special provision for low-revenue Internet radio, that hope is dashed. Continue Reading
Live365 has informed at least some of its webcasters that it will be shutting down at the end of the month. The Internet radio hosting platform laid off the bulk of its staff and left its offices at the end of December, shortly after the Copyright Royalty Board decision about new rates, and the expiration of a law protecting small webcasters, sent shockwaves through the webcasting community. 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
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
Small webcasters feel left out. The music licensing terms under which they have been operating since 2006 are about to expire. Countless small businesses, many of them streaming unique programming in specialized music categories, could shut down this week. Owners of independent streaming stations who have contacted RAIN News have expressed dismay, fury, and guarded hope that the omission of a carve-out for small webcasting represents a delayed announcement that could still arrive in time. Continue Reading
Pandora has signed another direct deal, this time with Downtown Music Publishing. The rights management firm has music by writers ranging from The Beatles to Hans Zimmer and Jewel to One Direction in its catalog. The press release contains the same type of language that was in the announcements of Pandora’s recent licensing agreements with publishers such as Warner/Chappell, Sony/ATV, and SONGS Music Publishing. Continue Reading
Intellectual property attorney Angus MacDonald was the first to calculate that Pandora paid more than half of all SoundExchange collections of royalties to record labels. At that time he spoke of implications for the Webcasting IV process which ended this week with new webcaster rates for 2016. We asked MacDonald for his thoughts about the ruling, and he sent us his analysis. Continue Reading