Stray Radio News
The word Radio has always seemed incomplete. As though it were part of some larger word like TV is to Television. I guess people used pair it as Radio receiver. If they had contracted that to Radioceiver then went to radio, I don't suppose it would bother me. Right now I want to write a post in homage to the "Radio News You Can Use" posts WFMU's Liz Berg sometimes writes for the WFMU blog.
There were two related events reported on by Ars Technica last week that caught my eye. The first was on Rep. Jay Inslee's Webcaster Settlement act of 2008
Congress acts, sort of saves Internet radio. This bill
H.R. 7084: Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 (GovTrack.us) has been pushed through the process and now is at the point where it awaits signing. The purpose of this is to buy time for and prod the differing sides towards a settlement. The back story here is that a year and a half ago. SoundExchange a company working for the RIAA started to collect on fees from webcasters, web music disseminators, and radio stations that simulcast over the internet that essentially broke their business models or nonprofit budgets. The issue was the bizarre draconian and frankly suspect fee structure the Copyright Royalty Board had come out with. The sides with congress looking on went into settlement talks, the settlement would replace the CRB mandate. The current story seems to be that the RIAA and smaller webcasters are more or less in alignment with bigger broadcasters represented by the NAB holding out. They seem to see new distribution means as threatening their position and are intent on stifling the market.
At the same time as this, the CRB released a new Fee Structure for permanent and limited use downloads. If you missed this Apple had let it be known that they would shut down the iTunes music store rather than accept fee's they didn't feel were reasonable. They wanted 4.8 cents they got 9.1. They set off no dynamite
Royalty rate stays same for iTunes, other download services.
I gave some thought to WFMUs position here, and other similarly positioned stations that I listen to. Given the vagaries of the regulatory environment It must be a critical question whether you continue to expand technology and your reach; exploring the possibilities of a wider geographic community. A national even international market. And at the same time maintain the ability to stay focused on your local markets and community. If the fee rates on internet streams do go up such stations would have to scale back even cut their streams or spend considerable time sifting through material and working out separate content license arrangements.
I also read an article on NPR in American Journalism Review this weekend where it seemed they were struggling with some of the same issues, from perspective of a pure content provider
The Transformation of NPR | American Journalism Review . They have made a commitment as an organization to embrace the web. Not only facilitating web simulcasting and archiving. But leveraging their infrastructure and talent into becoming a full fledged multimedia content generator. Basically by getting everyone to write copy, take pictures, and shoot video. and make it all available on the internet. As they do this they are becoming aware of the danger of separating their client stations from the local communities to which they are licensed. Or undercutting that broadcast relationship. They know they must move forward, but it underscores they are on new ground as they do so.
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