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Friday, June 8, 2012
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Clear Channel Deal: Bravo! or Oh, no!
It came out of left field. The day before everyone met in Washington DC to discuss fees for broadcasters (among other items), Clear Channel announced a revenue-based performance/royalty agreement with Big Machine Label Group (which represents a few big name country artists).
I've had connections with this copyright issue since 1998. I witnessed multiple times when broadcasters could have aided in a workable online royalty and performance fee structure - but didn't. So this is a welcome sight.
| "A Pandora's box (unintended pun) of direct licensing has been opened in the radio industry." |
As this first step, one large record label has gotten together with the radio industry's biggest company to dance. Only, nobody outside of these two knows the tune - which makes this whole "bravo" issue a possible "Oh, no!" |
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I wonder: 1) Will this deal be reflective of what smaller radio industry groups will be offered? 2) Does it affect an onerous yet unspoken evil for the internet radio community, recordkeeping requirements? 3) With such a small number of artists in Big Machine's corral, this action is going to have to be repeated dozens of times with other labels. How efficient is that? (See current online performance requirements.) A Pandora's box (unintended pun) of direct licensing has been opened in the radio industry. It's a freeze-frame moment that will result in plenty of questions. Yet, options are there too. One choice has been around since 2003. It's Audio Graphics' own RRadio Music. This "music-meets-radio" system has each artist signing a waiver for all stations using the service. It's free for the radio industry, and includes downloading of individual songs along with AG's extremely successful "Intro to Indie Artists" program series. Over the next twelve months keep these thoughts in mind:  I've been a long-time backer of independent artists getting internet radio airplay. Creating free content for radio stations has been a priority at Audio Graphics. Elements for airing new music are in place, at no cost to your station.With the Clear Channel and Big Machine Label Group announcement there's going to be a lot of unfamiliar ground to walk. Cutting your own deals with labels is time-consuming and complicated. That's all that's been opened with the Clear Channel announcement. We knew this was coming, and created what's now an established, easy-to-use system. RRadio Music is a constant stream of new, quality artists offering their songs to you - free. Here are some that demonstrate what Audio Graphics has waiting for the radio industry. To hear more, go to RRadioMusic.com.
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