Friday, June 8, 2007: This Week in News

DRM

Apple Debuts Unprotected Songs Online
Apple begins selling DRM-free songs from EMI on Itunes; songs downloaded from iTunes will play on other digital music players for the first time.
by May Wong, Associated Press, May 31, 2007

Amazon Store to Sell Music Free of Copy Protection
Amazon.com plans to launch a digital music store later this year. Their MP3-only strategy, says founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, "means all the music that customers buy on Amazon is always DRM-free and plays on any device."
Billboard.biz, May 16, 2007

Webcasting

Online Radio Royalty Fight Reaches New Pitch
Webcasters appeal Copyright Royalty Board ruling in DC Circuit Court and plan to file a motion to stay the March 2007 CRB ruling on new royalty rates. Support in House and Senate is increasing for Internet Radio Equality Act thanks to grassroots campaigning by webcasters.
by Sarah McBride, Wall Street Journal, May 31, 2007

NPR Joins Appeal of Online Music Royalties
NPR teams up with internet broadcasters in an appeal against CRB decision to raise royalty rates.
by Seth Sutel, Associated Press, June 1, 2007

Radio

Women and People of Color Lacking Among Radio Owners
A Free Press study indicates women and minorities are hurt by radio consolidation.
HearUsNow.org, June 5, 2007

Sound of Success: WETA Thrives on Classical Music
After switching from news and talk programming to classical music, WETA, the Arlington public station, sees ratings double and pledge contributions rise.
by Paul Farhi, Washington Post, June 5, 2007

Net Neutrality

Edwards to the FCC: Free Our Spectrum
In letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Presidential candidate John Edwards urges FCC to use broadband spectrum auction to enhance Internet access in rural and underserved areas.
by Matt Stoller, mydd.com, May 30, 2007

Edwards, Huckabee Support an Open Internet, McCain Waffles
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and others announce support for net neutrality following John Edwards' letter to the FCC.
SavetheInternet.com, May 30, 2007

Music Industry

Q & A with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor talks frankly about being on a major record label, his frustrations with the industry, and why people steal music.
by Neala Johnson, Herald Sun, May 17, 2007

Alan McGee: Why I'm Giving Up My Label

Alan McGee discusses shutting down his label, Poptones, in a music industry where going independent has more pros than cons.
The Independent, May 11, 2007

Indecency

Court Overturns Flawed FCC Indecency Decisions
The U.S. Court of Appeals decides that the Golden Globes case (remembered as the Bono F-word case) and other cases of indecency were unlawful due to their arbitrary nature. This decision lifts the overly broad restrictions that limited many quality television shows.
by Jonathan Rintels, Center for Creative Voices in Media, June 4, 2007