An article in the New York Times echoes CMR’s opinions that it’s the record labels, not the media that is the ultimate culprit behind the missing money in artists’ bank accounts.
After the settlement with Napster and others worth more than $270 million, the money has still not made its way from the labels to the makers of the music.
CMR Observation:
Told ya! It ain’t us that’s stealing. Take that, musicFIRST!
Tags: copyright, News, Performance, radio, rights, royalties, royalty
The NAB is using Valentine’s Day to call attention to the case it’s trying to make against performance royalties for broadcasters with an ad in Capitol Hill publications Roll Call, The Hill, and Politico highlighting the “love affair” between radio and the recording industry — as illustrated by quotes from label executives and recording artists.
The ad features a man and woman, both wearing headphones and kissing a radio. Under the headline “Love Affair,” the ad reads, “In honor of Valentine’s Day, we recognize the love affair between the recording industry and free, local radio.”
Beneath that are quotes from, among others, artist Alicia Keys, who at the recent Grammys thanked “every DJ, every radio guy, every promotions guy” as she accepted her award; RCA EVP/Promotion Richard Palmese, saying, “I’m a big, big fan of radio”; and MCA Records SVP Mark Wright, saying, “If a song’s not on the radio, it’ll never sell.”
The ad ends with the tag line “Preserve local radio. Fight the performance tax.” See it here (PDF link).
Tags: copyright, Performance, radio, rights, royalties, royalty
The age old relationship between recording companies and radio stations also received a plug from from Grammy-winner Alicia Keys, who used her acceptance speech to thank “every DJ, every radio guy…” (among others) who helped her along the path to success as a musician. Meanwhile, NAB reports that another group of lawmakers have signed on to the bipartisan Local Radio Freedom Act being championed in the House of Representatives by Gene Green (D-TX) and Mike Conaway (R-TX). The bill would head off attempts to impose performance royalties on broadcasters in recognition of the promotional value of free airplay of recorded music.
The newcomers, who bring the total number of backers to 148, include Charles Rangel (D-NY), Barbara Cubin (R-WY), Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), John Linder (R-GA), Spencer Bachus (R-AL), Jon C. Porter (R-NV), Greg Walden (R-OR), Rodney Alexander (R-LA), Zach Wamp (R-TN), Thelma D. Drake (R-VA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-MD), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Marilyn N. Musgrave (R-CO), Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Gary G. Miller (R-CA), Tim Holden (D-PA), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Thaddeus G. McCotter (R-MI) and Devin Nunes (R-CA).
Tags: copyright, Performance, radio, rights, royalties, royalty
After 15 years in the format as a local Christian station Crawford Broadcasting has flipped WRCI/Rochester (102.7 The Light) to adult standards/oldies. The sign off happened Saturday 2/9. Good news is the entire WRCI staff has been retained. The Christian format will continue as a HD-2 broadcast and also be streamed online.
WRCI-FM started in 1993 with programming of Bible teachings and some music and went to a more music-dominated format last April. However, GM Robert Hammond said, “it’s just not been a format supported by the advertising community or the church community,” prompting the decision by Crawford to change the format.
from HisAir.net Report
CMR Observation:
For a 15-year broadcaster to flip formats twice in 10 months says plenty. Support of Christian radio is closely related to the station’s image and presentation in the marketplace. If the sales staff thought selling a veteran station was difficult, wait until they hit the streets this week as an unproven entity.
Tags: christian, News, noncommercial, radio, streaming
Following the fire which destroyed the family home of Don Hughes, President/CEO of Great Plains Christian Radio, on January 6. He writes: “Sometimes you can make sense out of something like this if your experience can minister to someone else. My son did a music video in our living room just before the fire. The song is titled “Dim Glass Darkly” taken from 1 Corinthians, and is about searching to see God’s hand in our life. After the fire he went back and edited the video to include shots after the fire. Altogether it makes a powerful statement that I think can minister to people in the middle of a crisis in their life.”
You can see the video at this link: http://www.gabrielpeter.com
Tags: Broadcast, Broadcaster, Ministry, Radio
WIBI/Springfield/St Louis has hired GW Van Alstine as their new Promotions Director. GW was previously with Walt Disney Corporation and has extensive experience in marketing.
Station Manager Jeremiah Beck said “I am excited about the focused, new direction WIBI can take with GW at the helm of our branding and promotions, and in connecting listeners to the local church while re-connecting the local church to the community through broadcasting and multi-platform internet outlets. We’re called to love and serve our listeners as Christ leads - and God has brought us a servant leader to head up our efforts.”
Tags: Broadcast, Broadcaster, Ministry, Radio
The National Football League’s legal threats against churches that planned on having its members view last weekend’s Super Bowl on large screen television sets has raised the ire of a diverse spectrum of critics.
The NFL had warned that if any church allowed a public viewing of the Super Bowl on a TV larger than 55” that it would consider legal action to protect its copyright interests. Churches across the nation responded by cancelling viewing of the sports event, many of them having offered it in the past as an evangelistic outreach to un-churched members of the community.
One of the major concerns of the NFL was the diluting effect that such gatherings have on the computation of the all-important ratings system for football’s preeminent event, and the corresponding multi-million dollar rates that advertisers can be charged to place their ads during the game.
from NRB Newsletter
CMR Observation
It says a lot when a copyright law will exempt a Sports Bar, and leave a loophole big enough to serve litigation to a non-profit outreach gathering. Do a mental comparison between that scenario and the current Performance Rights Act now under consideration.
Tags: Broadcast, Broadcaster, Copyright, Issues, Legal, Legislation, NRB, Performance Rights, Radio, Television, TV
International Christian broadcaster Trans World Radio (TWR) is now airing the good news of Jesus Christ into West Africa. Broadcasts in 14 languages began February 1 from a powerful 100,000-watt AM transmitter located in the country of Benin, the birthplace of voodoo.
The new broadcasting outlet marks TWR’s 14th major international transmitting site, The facility has the potential to reach some 63 million people. “We need to pray for those who are going to hear the gospel perhaps for the very first time,” says TWR-Africa Director of Operations Ray Alary. “Pray that they will be receptive, and that their hearts will be changed for the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Tags: Broadcast, Broadcaster, Ministry, Radio
Early Friday, February 1st, a fire destroyed the Morganton. NC radio station WCIS-AM 760.
A Burke County EMS dispatcher said they received a call reporting flames at the station at 2:34 a.m.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire. Although the foundation of the building still stands, only charred remnants of the outer walls stand.
Mark Pitts, the fire marshal, said the fire was controlled by 5:15 a.m. They are now processing the scene to find the cause of the fire.
The Whisnant family owns WCIS, which stands for Western Carolina Inspiration Station.
The station features Southern Gospel music and has varied programming throughout the day including news, weather, preaching, Focus on the Family, morons in the news, Christian comedy and other segments.
Visit www.morganton.com for updates.
Tags: Broadcast, Broadcaster, Ministry, NC, North Carolina, Radio
WMIT/Asheville, N.C. has been named the NRB small-market station of the year.
Morning team Matt Stockman and Carol Davis were also named the NRB air personalities of the year. The award included personalities from all market sizes. “These awards are a reflection of the passion our team has for carrying out the call God has placed on each of them to impact the culture through engaging, relevant media,” says WMIT GM Jim Kirkland . “Thirty years from now, when each of us here looks back over our working years, I believe we’ll all say the highlight of our careers was having been a part of what God was doing through 106.9 the Light.”
*from R&R Christian Friday News
Tags: Broadcast, Broadcaster, Ministry, NC, North Carolina, NRB, Radio
