Clear Channel has forged another music rights deal that likely trades a small payment for on-air play for a discount (or waiver) for online streaming.
Broadcasters aren't required to pay royalties to the owners of sound recording copyrights for on-air play -- but do pay owners and performers for online plays. The music industry has long bemoaned radio's sound performance royalty exemption.
Back to last week's Internet Radio Fairness Act House Judiciary subcommittee hearing (here's audio of it)... Hubbard Radio President/CEO Bruce Reese (who also represented the National Association of Broadcasters) was pressed repeatedly on this topic (our coverage is here). 
Reese responded by saying he would look for more deals in the marketplace that would get copyright owners paid. He was nearly certainly referring to arrangements that Clear Channel has struck this year with copyright owners like Big Machine Label Group, Glassnote Entertainment Group, and Naxos.
Clear Channel today adds to that list, and announced an agreement with DashGo, Inc. "a digital content distribution and marketing engine for labels, podcasters, and artists." Like the prior agreements, Clear Channel described the deal as an "agreement that will help drive growth and innovation in Internet radio. As part of this new relationship, DashGo will share in Clear Channel’s terrestrial broadcast revenues, aligning the business interests of both companies and helping to build a sustainable market in Internet radio."
DashGo represents over 100 label and artist partners (Weezer (pictured), Rock Mafia, Coconut Records, Delicious Vinyl, and Time Records) and approximately 100,000 songs.
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