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13 Dec 2009 10:37

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Tech: MySpace screws over its musicians big time with iMeem deal

  • lame Despite music being a huge bedrock of the company’s business model, MySpace paid less than $1 million for bankrupt iMeem, which ran the dead pay-for-music service SNOCAP (founded, BTW, by Napster founder Shawn Fanning).
  • lamer MySpace did NOT buy iMeem’s liability to pay royalties to musicians who used, umm, MySpace to sell music. Some artists haven’t been paid for over a year. And some of these artists are owed a lot of money. This is bull#)&!. source

09 Dec 2009 01:10

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U.S.: The government settles with Indian tribes over squandered trusts

  • $3.2 billion – a big settlement, but not nearly enough source

09 Jul 2009 10:10

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Tech: The fine print of Internet radio royalties screws small broadcasters

  • $25,000 the required fee each year for ‘net radio broadcasters, which can be applied to any royalties they pay, but creates a pay wall for small broadcasters source

07 Jul 2009 20:48

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Tech: Great news! Pandora (and other ‘net radio) gets to stay alive!

  • Internet radio became an industry off the radar of the major labels, starting with no rules and constricting over time. The environment has thus far allowed for the growth of sites like Pandora and Last.fm. source
  • For years, record companies, songwriters and publishers wanted their fair share. Unfortunately, that fair share was so high that it threatened to kill sites like Pandora. Enter stalemate. source
  • Today, Pandora and SoundExchange agreed to 40-50% lower rates which will allow Pandora and others to keep operating. The rates are still higher than the FM dial, but they can live with them. source

02 Jun 2009 22:04

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Tech, U.S.: Someone’s making out like a bandit on the Digital TV transition

  • $40 amount in royalties you could pay for your big-screen TV source

10 Mar 2009 10:27

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Music, Tech: YouTube plays hardball with music videos in the UK

  • It couldn’t agree on fees, so now the videos are gone. YouTube is in the midst of a disagreement with the U.K.’s Performing Rights Society over royalties on music videos. While they’re committed to working with the PRS, YouTube is upset that the suggested rates are so high and do not want to lose income each time a video is played. This oughta be fun. source