Internet Radio Stations

Been streaming Jazz24 from Seattle. Good web interface and player with a great playlist. When I'm in Seattle, I tune it in on FM - KPLU Jazz.

Also like most stations on Jazzradio.com, although Tunein Radio has just about any channel you can think of including all of JazzRadio's channels, and Live365 stations. If I could only have one app on my phone for streaming while mobile, it would be TuneIn. JazzRadio.com just makes it convenient for me to pop on a good Jazz Station.

Prime Music has been pretty good as well. I have enjoyed their Jazz and New Age stations lately. Because it's a full subscription service, I like the unlimited fast-forwards and the thumbs-up/down like Pandora, as it molds to your taste.
 
Just an FYI.--bummer

Many Internet radio webcasters are facing shutdown or geo-locking their streams to non-US listeners only. New royalty rates for non-interactive Internet radio stations were announced Wednesday for the period 2016-2020.

While rates increased about 20% for large PurePlay webcasters (Pandora, iHeart Radio, etc.) , there's good reason for panic for the class of small webcasters. (<1.25 M annual Rev.) Gone is the SWA (Small Webcasters Act) percent of revenue/expenses rate that allowed these stations to survive.

Many of the stations mentioned in this thread will see their royalty obligation skyrocket effective Jan. 1, 2016. Since there was no mention of "small webcaster" component, all stations are faced with paying based on the per listener/per performance schedule. Rusty from SomaFM for example was quoted as saying his royalty bill will jump by a factor of 14.

Very few if any stations in this class will be able to swing that huge off the top expense. If no consideration and compromise is offered to "the little guys" going forward; this will be a major and swift blow to many great independent internet radio stations and their listeners. :angel::(

[Update] SoundExchange is telling small webcasters to sit tight until next week while they deliberate the fate of stations previously covered under SWA. :deal::dunno:
 
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Should be interesting to see what happens to Pandora. That is a huge boost to their current rates.
 
Should be interesting to see what happens to Pandora. That is a huge boost to their current rates.
Aye. Interesting. 20% is a "boost".

If Pandora's listener numbers hold with 2015 stats then this'll dress out somewhere between a $80-$100 million increase. [cough] With a wacko 3.5 billion valuation, that's plainly a sobering Welcome to the *NMFL love tap. [spew]

Despite this assumed eye-popping bump, Pandora & Co. are actually somewhat relieved and are objectively optimistic with the ruling. Where they proposed a 20% reduction from their 2015 rate, SoundExchange argued on behalf of the rights holders for a 78% increase. :confused:

Needless to say once the rates were announced, Pandora's brass chilled along with Wall Street and P stock jumped 15% due to a "better than expected" rate from the CRB.
But that's not THE "interesting" story.

Terrestrial radio stations received a 32% rate reduction for their simulcasts. Furthermore.....since this proceeding still does not address the God Govt. given (holier than thou) exemption for OTA broadcasters, terra radio continues to get a 100% free performance royalty ride on music inventory. Pardon me French, but that... is complete :bs:

[Back to bitch proper] The big Internet radio boys (Pandora, iHeart/Clear Channel, etc.) have the investor capital and financial moxy to weather a 20 pt. boost whereas the mid sized and small webcasters can by no miracle swallow a 1,400 pt. hike.

Hmmm, +20 vs.+1,400. <--That right there is yer most interesting fractured fairy tale mate.

To put some real numbers to the dire straits **small webcasters are facing; let's peek beneath the millions N' billions playas and see what's really happening to the last Bastian of real radio here.
  • An average independent little guy will pay SX between $2,500 and $5,000 annually for performers royalty at the 2015 rates.
  • That will now balloon (at a minimum) to $35,000 - $70,000 annually.
No question, unless SX comes back with something close to what these stations were paying... this will be bloodless turnips for all involved.

* Music ****ed Licensing.
** I love & hate using the term "small webcasterl" here. But for clarity that's the legal classification under the Copyright Act. To be clear, many of these independent internet stations are not simply "small" hobbyist radio stations.

.....With the same breath, just as many same are not grossing huge revenue...they are simply making a living--if they're lucky.
 
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Well....here's one of the first dominoes to fall..and it's a biggun. Live 365 just lost all it's investor support in light of this decision/indecision and have effectively "locked the gates". Majority of the staff has been laid off and offices are vacant.

Live 365 has been the home (portal and licensing aggregator) of independent internet radio stations for 17 years. Reports are saying that their CEO is soliciting for new investor funding. Ain't gonna happen til the Fat Lady (SoundExchange) sings with a more favorable rate structure for Small webcasters.

Still no word from SX. :mad:
 
Not to argue too much in absence of detail, but my guess is the Live365 story will end up being more complicated than royalty rates alone.

Live365 offered radio only when the general industry trend is toward on demand - that might explain some of why investors began pulling out a couple of weeks ago. I'd guess interest in the product is decreasing.

And there are some specific to Live365 issues as well: subscriptions were relatively expensive, unsubscribing was very difficult - I know, I did it once - and the web site was a jumble. Live365 was always one of those things that struck me as a great idea in theory, but not so much in practice.

s.

Edit - I'm doing quick check of Live365 stations on New Year's morning, and as of now, they all appear to be operating. From what I'm reading, some will drop out soon, others (the "pro" stations) have a month left.

Edit, edit - Well, I don't know if it has anything to do with LIve365's troubles, but a favorite station of mine, JazzNoteNSU, appears to not work.
 
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Live365 offered radio only when the general industry trend is toward on demand
Huh?
I'd guess interest in the product is decreasing.
Interest in... non-interactive? On-demand may have taken a small bite, but the demand for internet radio is very sizable.
subscriptions were relatively expensive, unsubscribing was very difficult - I know, I did it once
I assume you mean as an ad-free listener...not a VIP (Pro) station owner.
 
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I certainly can't prove it, but given the proliferation of on-demand services - hell, even Pandora, which is the leader in radio-like service, is getting in the game - I'd argue that "radio," in which someone else does the driving is slowly but surely losing out to the idea of picking what you want to listen, when you want.

Mind you, this isn't personal. I don't use on-demand myself, and do subscribe to a few radio/radio-like services. But with the exception of Pandora, I don't know of anyone else who does what I do. Then again, I don't get out much.

But we don't need to go that far in the case of Live365, and maybe I shouldn't have. I think royalty rates are a big deal, yes, but there were other problems with the service as well: sound quality was not great, the apps/website left a lot (in my opinion) to be desired, and too much of what was on offer was half a step away from a vanity project. What was good was very good (Kyle Gann's post-classic channel was a treasure) but I was always rooting around in the muck.

And yes, my comment about subs pertained to people like me, listeners. To cancel, I had to call them, which was no mean feat. Even then, it cost me some money.

s.
 
Martimi in the morning.com the great American song book is played here, along with new artists covering the same, in their own style.

Live DJs most hours of the day/night.
 
There's a bleak hope horizon...but much of REAL Radio via internet is on it's death bed. [****]
 
When people continiue to insist that they should their get music for little or nothing, sooner or later the end result will always be the failure of the service. Running in the red with investment dollars while hoping for furture profitabilty seems to be the MO. I pay $45 per month for music services and I consider it to be worth every penny. I know many that spend that much on coffee in a week.
 
liazard 84 wrote:

"When people continue to insist that they should their get music for little or nothing, sooner or later the end result will always be the failure of the service."

Agreed. Then add to that the implosion of advertising online - read up on "programmatic buying" to understand - and you get a picture of something deeply unsustainable.

What bothers me in all this is how both small webcasters and musicians end up in bad shape: the royalty deal announced last month, as I understand it, is ok news for the big players - and gives them certainty to go forward. At the same time, it won't put significantly more money in the pocket of most recording musicians, while the lack of an escape hatch for small webcasters means their music will have fewer outlets.

I spend $11 a month on two radio services, and still buy a fair amount of music outright. I have a relative in the business, and have seen how little money streaming pays.

+48V, any news updates on this subject? Are we still waiting to see if the there's a second wave of decisions for the small webcaster?

s.
 
+48V, any news updates on this subject? Are we still waiting to see if the there's a second wave of decisions for the small webcaster?

Nothing yet from official sources. The complete (full text) ruling has yet to be released by the CRB. Hopes are hinging that there will be some language included that would allow for SoundExchange to offer/negotiate a compromise with Small Webcasters; as they did in 2009. To that end, there is a contingent of Small Webcasters working with an attorney to pursue negotiations with the CRB and SoundExchange.

The radio landscape left solely to corporate conglomerates sickened me in the 80’s. Well folks, it’s déjà vu all over again and it’s appalling.

It appears bleak. But I’m still hopeful some sort of extension to the SWA that expired end of 2015 will be granted. This will give the Small Webcasters and SoundExchange time. Time that will prevent thousands of radio stations needlessly going off the air while they work something out.
 
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