From the Industry Standard: "Congress is likely to soon begin a debate about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and how it affects consumer uses of digital entertainment, including Webcasts of streamed music. Many say the system works fine under the DMCA. But a grassroots movement says it will freeze out smaller Webcasters and has set off a blindingly complicated back-and-forth dialogue on the legal, economic and cultural implications of the DMCA's provisions...

"An amendment to the bill now requires Webcasters to be financially responsible for statutory licenses. This could create an untenable situation for some Webcasters, as it might force cash-thin operations to pay for music from which they might not be able to wring revenue.

"Gloria Hylton, (president) of mom-and-pop Webcaster Nwez.net, says the legislation is unfair to Webcasters. She's circulating a petition to independent Webcasters that asks the 107th Congress to 'repeal or revise amendments ... (that were) lobbied for by the RIAA and passed in committee, without open discussion in either the House or the Senate...'

"There are signs the movement might have a sympathetic ear in Washington. Last month, Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, made some critical remarks at the Future of Music Policy Summit in Washington that were aimed at the major labels and the RIAA. 'I do not think it is any benefit for artists or fans to have all the new, wide distribution channels controlled by those who have controlled the old, narrower ones,' Hatch said."

Read this entire article here.

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From the press release: "NetRadio has forged a co-branding agreement to provide custom audio entertainment programming to BestBuy.com.

"Under terms of the agreement, NetRadio will provide BestBuy.com with a co-branded player that will include 20 originally programmed NetRadio channels for use on their Web site. In addition, BestBuy.com will program, and NetRadio will host, two custom radio channels to leverage marketing and content from Best Buy enterprise initiatives.

"BestBuy.com will pay NetRadio for their streaming media services, and will purchase and control all the advertising on the channels that will run on the co-branded player. This advertising will be used to communicate special offers from the Best Buy enterprise to targeted consumers."

Read the press release here.

You may remember that in September RAIN reported here that NetRadio SVP of Content and Programming David Witzig had left the Internet company to get back to what he called the "for profit" world with a position at Best Buy. Also, both companies are based in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area.

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Lightningcast: New CEO not a sign of trouble
From Radio Ink: "The typical scenario at Internet companies over the past year has been when you see a CEO being replaced it's a sign of bad things to come. First the CEO, then a few layoffs, then that sad posting on the company's website blaming failure on 'lack of funding...

"None of the above says Tom Des Jardins, now the former CEO of Lightningcast. He says he's happy to move over to his CTO position and let Spangenberg run the shop. Des Jardins touted his new CEO's experience with @plan and doubleclick yesterday and said the company is in fine shape."

Read this story here.


Ex of Hiwire, Rivlin moves to Lightningcast
From Radio Ink: "Rivlin was Vice President of Network Affiliate Relations for HiWire. He joined the Lightningcast upper management team.

"HiWire cut one third of its staff several weeks ago as it works toward profitability...Lightningcast recently received a round of additional funding led my Nokia Ventures."

Read the story here.


NetMedia Convergence turns out the lights
From RBR.com: "Texas-based e-commerce solutions provider for radio websites NetMedia Convergence has shut down operations 2/15, due to a lack of capital. Birendra Roy, a principal designer for RAB’s e-commerce website solution, had left the association to form his own firm."

Read this story here.

February 21-25, 2001	The Gavin Seminar 2001, Miami, FL
February 26-28, 2001	Broadcasters Website Sales Conf. 2.0, Tempe, AZ