KCRW's On the Beat

Music Excursions

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:44:00 EST

How to Finance Your Career

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:44:00 EST

To those who think talent is the hallmark of success in the music business, think again. While talent is essential, marketing wisdom and good business sense are fundamental skills needed as well. That's especially true for independent artists, who often self-finance their careers. With so many musical acts out there vying for attention, a keen and innovative approach is needed...

Performance Royalty Debate Rages On

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:44:00 EST

The debate over whether broadcasters should pay a performance royalty is one of the music industry's hottest topics. Just two weeks ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee, approved a bill that would require broadcast radio stations to compensate artists and labels whenever music is aired...

Kevin Montgomery and Amanda Palmer

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:57:12 EST

It takes tenacity and vision for an independent artist to build and maintain a career in today's music market. Anyone with a computer can record and distribute a record on their own, but building a self-supporting career is a different matter. Finally, there's some hope. A few musicians have embraced new models, sculpting out their own futures...

Data Rocks!

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:44:00 EST

For the last fifty years, the traditional record label business was built on an ecosystem of radio stations, press outlets, retail stores and live venues, all of whom lived behind velvet ropes. The system closed to the public. Only the trade could participate. Today, that business is a shell of its former self...

The FTC and Bloggers

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:46:09 EST

They went after funeral homes, they went after identity theft, and now the Federal Trade Commission is going after the most pressing need for consumer protectionism ? bloggers...

Gaming and YouTube

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:47:41 EST

While the record industry struggles with the difficult transition of selling expensive physical goods to selling low-cost digital files, the gaming industry appears to be heading towards the same fate...

Spotify

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:44:00 EST

It's been less than a decade since Apple launched iTunes, and they remain the dominant digital retailer of choice. Currently, iTunes enjoys 70% of all digital music sales in the US market.

File Sharing, Next Generation

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:39:05 EST

Every country handles peer-to-peer downloading differently. Here in the US, in federal court this week, four high level members of the website, "Rabid Neurosis" were indicted on music piracy charges. Rabid Neurosis is a website that operated from 1996 to 2007. It was infamous for uploading illegal music files months before their official CD release date. According to federal prosecutors, the early supply of music often came from music industry insiders at radio, press and retail, who gave pre-released material to the site. If convicted, the four indicted members could face up to five years in prison...

The Beatles

podmaster@kcrw.org (Celia Hirschman) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:20:34 EST

Today, on the ninth day, of the ninth month, in 2009, The Beatleshave once again invaded. This time, the landing pad is the world stage, with multiple massive Beatles releases...