This Week In News

Online radio sees rating spike, but conventional radio continues decline
A report by AccuStream iMedia Research indicates that users spent 4.85 billion hours listening to online radio last year. That’s up 26 percent from 2006. AOL’s Shoutcast dominated the market, with a share of nearly 50 percent. The industry as a whole was worth $92 million.
ZDNet, February 20, 2008

But at the same time, conventional radio is losing listeners steadily. Billing was down 6 percent in January from the previous year, and ratings have declined by 16 percent over the last nine years. Jerry Del Colliano, a professor at USC who studies the music industry, has some suggestions to revitalize radio.
Inside Music Media, February 21, 2008

Songwriters association proposes fee for Canadian Internet users
The Songwriters Association of Canada is set to unveil a proposal that would charge internet users $5 per month in exchange for unlimited music downloads. If enacted, the proposal would make paid services like iTunes obsolete in Canada, as users could download free, “illegal” files without fear of reprisal.
Saskatoon StarPhoenix, February 21, 2008

Music Industry Profile: Jimmy Iovine of Interscope Records
Jimmy Iovine, founder and chairman of Interscope Records and a legendary producer, sits down to discuss the ins and outs of running a record label. He gives some free advice to aspiring artists and discusses ways for record labels to survive.
Artists House Music, November 2007

For those of you with short attention spans, Idolator summarizes the interview, although with a distinct anti-Jimmy Iovine bias.

NC State U Study Connects Hip-Hop/Sexism
Researchers at North Carolina State University studied the effects of listening to hip-hop music on a sample of men and women. They found that women tended to be more evaluative, and overtly sexist songs had little effect on them because they rejected the message, while men did tend to espouse more sexist views. But the study found that at worst hip-hop exacerbated pre-existing feelings and wasn’t any more damaging than many other aspects of popular culture.
Allhiphop.com, February 22, 2008