TIB All-Stars on the Air

Tom Blumer, Mark G. and I are on the air right now (7PM) until we get tired...

Click on the TIB Radio graphic in the sidebar...

SaveNetRadio Artists Rock Congress

WASHINGTON, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After holding an open-air concert on the lawn of the United States Senate last night, Members of the SaveNetRadio coalition visited Capitol Hill again today to gather support for legislation pending in the House and Senate. Thirty-one artists traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with more than 50 lawmakers today to discuss the importance of Internet radio and the threat a March 2nd ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board poses to the future of Net radio and the artists it supports.

"The fight to preserve music diversity on the Internet is as much about artists and listeners as it is about webcasters," said SaveNetRadio spokesperson, Jake Ward. "Artists understand that the future of Net radio is at stake, and they recognize that that if Net radio dies, artists will lose a valuable tool for promoting their music and finding new fans. The only viable solution is to establish a fair system that supports well-earned compensation for artists who create music and a sustainable business model for webcasters playing that music. More than 6,000 individual artists and bands have joined the SaveNetRadio coalition and the fight to save Internet radio from the unprecedented and illogical March 2nd royalty rate increase imposed by the Copyright Royalty Board. The SaveNetRadio coalition and its partners appreciate the time and energy these artists have dedicated to come to Washington to speak with Members of Congress today, and we encourage more artists that benefit from Internet airplay to follow their example."

The Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060/S. 1353 was introduced by Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Donald Manzullo (R-IL) in the House and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) in the Senate. This legislation would vacate the Copyright Royalty Board's decision and set a 2006-2010 royalty rate at the same level currently paid by satellite radio services (7.5% of revenue.) as well as change the royalty rate-setting standard used in royalty arbitrations so that the standards applied to webcasters would align with the standard that applies to satellite radio royalty arbitrations.

For more information on the SaveNetRadio Coalition, the Capitol Concert, and legislation pending in Congress, visit [Link].

Jack Idema is Free

AP News Alert:

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Afghan officials say an American who was imprisoned in Afghanistan for running a private jail for terror suspects has been freed and has left the country.

Most folks from the Wide Awakes Radio days knew about this yesterday, but it is an amazing story. Check out Cao's Blog for all the details and the history. An American hero is coming home... Jack actually did a live show from the prison in Afghanistan on Wide Awakes Radio.

Re: Rep. Paul Gillmor, RIAA and Internet Radio

Previously on WMD:

OH-05's Rep. Paul Gillmor is on the list of Congresscritters getting money from RIAA, the recording industry's association of political and economic hitmen... Yeah, sure, it's only a $1000, but politicians have been bought for less. What is Congressman Gillmor's position on RIAA's and the Royalty Board's fleecing of internet radio? Hopefully, we'll find out...

I heard back from Team Gillmor today...

As co-chairman of the House Public Broadcasting Caucus, Rep. Gillmor is a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 2060, the Internet Radio Equality Act. In addition to telling his constituents that he is a co-sponsor of this bill, Congressman Gillmor recommends they visit his website at http://www.house.gov/gillmor/crs.shtml [Link] where they will find a report about this issue from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service entitled "Statutory Royalty Rates for Digital Performance of Sound Recordings: Decision of the Copyright Royalty Board." So far, Congressman Gillmor has heard from nearly 200 constituents about this issue.

This is fantastic news!

Wyden-Brownback 'Internet Radio Equality Act' Introduced in the Senate

WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legislation introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sam Brownback (R-KA) today would save Internet radio from a recent royalty hike that threatens to bankrupt the industry. The Internet Radio Equality Act would vacate a Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision to increase fees webcasters pay to play music online by a devastating 300 to 1200 percent. Companion legislation (H.R. 2060) introduced in the House of Representatives on April 26th, by Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Don Manzullo (R-IL), has already garnered the support of more than 60 cosponsors.

SaveNetRadio.org, a national coalition of webcasters, recording artists, listeners and record labels applauded the bill's introduction, expressing their gratitude to Senators Wyden and Brownback for their leadership at this critical time for the Internet radio industry and the millions of Americans who listen online every day. "Since the CRB's ruling, Internet radio listeners, webcasters and the artists they promote have joined together to urge Congress to prevent this vibrant industry from going silent on July 15th," said Jake Ward, a spokesperson for the SaveNetRadio campaign. "On behalf of Internet radio's 70 million monthly listeners, thousands of webcasters, and the incredible diversity of talented artists it supports, we commend Senators Wyden and Brownback for their understanding of Internet radio's importance and for their leadership in taking the steps needed to save it."

Other members of the SaveNetRadio coalition offered their support for the Internet Radio Equality Act:

The Roots Music Association, an international organization representing more than 2200 independent artists and labels, headquartered in San Marcos, Texas said, "we are very pleased by the introduction of the Internet Radio Equality Act in the Senate today. Internet radio has become the lifeblood for so many independent artists that depend on the promotional accessibility it provides niche roots based genres. This legislative solution is the last best hope for the future of Internet radio, and we fully support it."

Tim Westergren, Founder of Pandora, one of the country's leading Internet radio webcasters, commended the legislation, saying, "we are grateful for Senators Wyden and Brownback's introduction of the Internet Radio Equality Act. Their support shows an understanding of the invaluable exposure that Internet radio provides to emerging artists, as well as an acknowledgment of the diverse listening experience it offers to music lovers. We are hopeful that, with the Senators' support, this promising industry will finally be treated fairly so that it can continue to grow."

Outbound Music, a Christian webcaster and retailer said, "we are delighted to see the Internet Radio Equality Act introduced in Senate today. Internet music programming reaches millions of listeners who are not within range of Christian broadcast stations. With the passage of this bill, we can rest assured that our spiritually edifying content will continue to reach as wide an audience as possible while allowing fair compensation to artists and affordable rates to webcasters."

Lisa Mathews from the critically acclaimed band Milkshake offered her support of the Internet Radio Equality Act saying, "Milkshake makes original rock music for kids, and kids-at-heart. When it comes to radio, there just aren't many venues for Children's Music via the traditional radio stations. Webcasters provide an outlet for kids and parents to hear new music -- music that is pretty much ignored by traditional radio. For me the value is undeniable. I should pay them for the service they do -- I really should. The least I can do is keep their rent low, and be fair when it comes to royalties."

Ian Rogers, VP and GM, Yahoo! Music, said, "Internet radio has empowered and benefited artists and music lovers alike by removing the physical limitations and barriers that once separated musicians from their fans. The recent royalty rate increase threatens to limit the potential of net radio as an outlet for musicians, option for music lovers, and a business for webcasters. The Internet Radio Equality Act strikes the appropriate balance between compensating artists for their work and allowing this industry to grow. We applaud Senator Wyden and Senator Brownback for their leadership and urge congress to take notice and action."

Grammy nominated artist, SONiA said, "Internet Radio allows artists like myself in every imaginable form to sing and be heard around the country and around the world. And because my music is now frequently heard on Internet Radio I am maintaining a successful career that would be impossible without this open medium. The tendency is to build a cage, because maybe that is how it was done in the early days of broadcasting. The Internet Radio Equality Act is the only way that thousands of artists can be heard, and I am one of them."

The Internet Radio Equality Act would vacate the CRB's decision and set a 2006-2010 royalty rate at the same level currently paid by satellite radio services (7.5% of revenue.) The bill would also change the royalty rate- setting standard used in royalty arbitrations, so that the standards applying to webcasters would align with the standard that applies to satellite radio royalty arbitrations. The bill also re-sets the royalty rules for noncommercial radio such as NPR stations that offer Internet radio music.

For more information on the SaveNetRadio coalition visit http://www.savenetradio.org [Link].

Jazz Legends Join SaveNetRadio

I've been meaning to write more about this effort, but this gives me the opportunity to highlight two of my interests: live music and internet radio.

NEW ORLEANS, May 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jazz legends, artists and educators joined radio giant WWOZ yesterday to support a national effort to save Internet radio from a recent royalty rate increase that would bankrupt the industry. In a letter to House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, famed clarinet wizard Dr. Michael White, legendary trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, jazz phenom "Trombone Shorty", Kidd Jordan and more than a dozen of the most influential voices in American Jazz called on Congress to take action and preserve Internet radio for the future of Jazz music.

"As working musicians who depend on Internet radio to reach our fans and to make new ones, we are extremely concerned that the recent decision by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) will close the door to what has become an essential part of our work. Internet radio is one of the precious few outlets we have to reach Jazz audiences and build new ones. If Internet radio dies, the future of Jazz could die with it," the Jazz legends wrote in a letter addressed to Chairman Conyers.

Representatives of SaveNetRadio, a national coalition of millions of webcasters, listeners, artists and labels joined tens of thousands of Jazz fans this week at the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to spread the word and gather the support of jazz artists that depend on Internet radio for exposure and airtime.

New Orleans powerhouse radio station WWOZ's General Manager, David Freedman said "the massive new royalty fees directly affect New Orleans artists and musicians throughout the country that depend on Internet radio for air play and to reach new fans. For WWOZ, these new rates would drastically limit our effectiveness as a streaming source, and dictate that stations can't afford to succeed. The marginalization or complete shutdown of our streaming services, which is the emerging environment, is tantamount to choking off an important voice of New Orleans culture and rendering our volunteer powered effort irrelevant." During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Internet radio was the only way many New Orleanians could hear news and the music of their home.

The list of artists calling on Chairman Conyers to support H.R. 2060, the Internet Radio Equality Act, which would vacate the CRB royalty rate increase and establish a new standard for setting Internet radio royalty rates, includes the following:

Kermit Ruffins,
Trumpeter

Derek Shezbie,
ReBirth Brass Band

Bennie Pete,
Hot 8 Brass Band

Edward Kidd Jordan,
Director, Heritage School of Music
Director, Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp

Marlon Jordan,
Trumpet

Bennie Jones,
Leader, Treme Brass Band

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews,
Leader, Orleans Avenue

Big Chief Al Doucette,
Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indian tribe

David Freedman,
General Manager, WWOZ

Dr. Michael White,
Hot 8 Brass Band

John Boutte,
The New Orleans Social Club

Lee Arnold,
Director, Save Our Brass

James Andrews,
Leader, Crescent City AllStars

Ariana Hall,
The CubaNolaCollective

Sylvester Francis,
Director, Backstreet Museum

Jackie Harris,
Director, Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp

Todd Duke,
Crescent City AllStars

Mario Madero,
SpyBoy Productions

Stations like Wide Awakes Radio and our own TIB Radio face extinction without legislation protecting internet radio from the vultures. While our format is talk, we use a music for breaks and intros. TIB Radio has been using royalty free music where the composer is unaffiliated.

For more information on the SaveNetRadio coalition visit http://www.savenetradio.org [Link].

TIB Radio Sneak Peak

Today on TIB Radio we are featuring podcasts by Ohio's own Gribbit. Podcasts start every half hour with a musical interlude in between each of the four segments of Gribbit's series on global warming. Gribbit is another veteran of Wide Aakes Radio and we're excited to have him as a regular in our lineup weekdays from 9PM until midnight.

TIB Radio Programming Announcement

ON THE AIR: Airing TODAY on TIB Radio is a sneak peak at our Saturday night feature show, the Passionate America Show. Podcasts start every hour today, so check out the sort of high quality entertainment that will be on TIB Radio on Saturday nights. (Language warning...Wild Bill and Big Mike do a Saturday NIGHT show, so the language can get a bit salty.)



ANNOUNCEMENT: I am very happy to announce that Gribbit Live will be featured on TIB Radio weekdays from 9PM to midnight. Gribbit is a Wide Awakes Radio veteran and a member of the State of Ohio Blogger Alliance. We will be playing a series of podcasts from Gribbit as a sneak preview tomorrow.

UPDATE: It is too nice of a day for me to spend it here at the controls of the TIB Radio network, so I'm going to extend the sneak preview of the Passionate America Show podcasts through 10PM tonight.

TIB Radio Programming Announcement

I am proud to announce that The Passionate America Show with Wild Bill will be a feature program on TIB Radio.



We'll be airing Passionate America Podcasts until Phase III testing is completed at which time, Wild Bill will be on the schedule - live and direct - on Saturday nights from 9PM until midnight.

Two other Wide Awakes Radio veterans have signed on as well. We'll have Smokey and Cao for one hour shows on Sunday afternoons with TIB Theatre (radio dramas) in between... I'm still negotiating air dates and times with four other WAR hosts, so check back for further updates!

TIB Radio Update and Preview

I'm running some "Best of the TIB Network" shows from the Wide Awakes Radio days over at the new TIB Radio station. Click the banner at the top of the main section for the preview.

We have completed Phase I testing of the station and are ready to start airing podcasts and various other short pre-recorded bits. Phase II will be live in-studio shows which starts testing this week...there might be an impromptu live show tonight around 7ish eastern... The Phase III remote live show testing is also in the works...

It won't be long and TIB Radio will be running "live and direct" with a full schedule of top-notch programming from around the great state of Ohio and across this great nation.

UPDATE: I should add that Phase IV testing will involve the phones...that's a bit down the road. We're working on using Skype as something of a workaround, but am not real sure how that is going to work yet.

Wide Awakes Radio - T.I.B. Radio Network

As you might have noticed if you tried to listen to either the WMD Program or the Matt Hurley Show lately, Wide Awakes Radio is on an extended hiatus working out technical and financial difficulties.

Over the last few weeks, the team here at WMD have been discussing how best to return to the airwaves and have decided to host our own internet radio station. We have settled in on a broadcasting software package and a host and are now working out the final details in putting all of that together.

My intention is to set up the T.I.B. Radio Network as a conduit for State of Ohio Blogger Alliance members interested in making a move to podcasting and/or live broadcasting.

Once Wide Awakes Radio is back, I'm hoping to set up an agreement with WAR to simulcast the WMD Program and the Matt Hurley Show plus work to get Alliance shows out to the WAR audience as well.

Developing...

Wide Awakes Radio Status Report

No shows from the TIB Network this week...

Wide Awakes Radio Update

Technical difficulties still plague the station so there will be no WMD Program tonight. I got the impression that this might be a major problem and that next week's programming might be affected as well.

Matt Hurley Show

The Matt Hurley Show is back on the air tonight from 7 until 9 PM eastern only on Wide Awakes Radio. We survived the coming of the White Death! Tune in to hear the tale...

Tonight's Guest: Matt Dole of LincolnLogsBlog.

We'll be talking about Rudy Guiliani, Iraq and Congress, the Ohio GOP, and some of our favorite campaign management/leadership books.

7:00 PM UPDATE: We're having some technical difficulty at the station that we've been trying to work out for about a half hour. We're definately going to be late coming on the air tonight...

7:30 PM UPDATE: It's a no-go for tonight's show. Hopefully, we'll be back up and running at the station for Friday's show with Mark. Matt Dole may join us for a segment or two on Friday as well.

No Show Tonight

It took two and a half hours to get home from work and I'm exhausted. Therefore, please tune in for tomorrow's show on Wide Awakes Radio. Tonight's show will be a re-run.

Matt Hurley Show

Please join me tonight from 7 until 9 PM eastern for the Matt Hurley Show only on Wide Awakes Radio.

Tonight's guest: Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog and Control Your Money Now. We're going to be talking about the current and catch-up Jobs numbers, some personal finance news (savings rate and two-cycle billing), and the latest craze in history revision found in the 527 media (spitting on veterans). Plus, we'll have an extended conversation on what kinds of candidates we're looking for in the next election cycle.

Please tune in!

Phone: 1-888-407-1776
Email: wmdtvmatt - at - yahoo - dot com
AIM and Y! IM: wmdtvmatt

WMD Program is On the Air

Come check out our show tonight on Wide Awakes Radio.

Matt Hurley Show - 1/31/07

Phone Number: 1-888-407-1776
Email: wmdtvmatt @ yahoo . com
AIM and Y! IM: wmdtvmatt

Guests:
7:30PM ET - Matt Dole of LincolnLogsBlog
8:00PM ET - Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog

Please tune in from 7-9PM ET on WideAwakesRadio.com

UPDATE: Thanks to Matt and Tom for another great episode of the Matt Hurley Show! Both segments will be featured in the Sunday "Best of the TIB Network" show on Sunday, so if you missed it, be sure to tune in on Sunday evening.

Matt Hurley Show

Please join us for tonight's Matt Hurley Show on Wide Awakes Radio.

Tonight's guest is Matt Dole from LincolnLogsBlog. We'll be talking about education funding in Ohio; the minimum wage vote in the US House of Representatives; and the race for Bob Bennett's heir apparent; plus whatever else comes up!

Your phone calls, emails and IMs... 1-888-407-1776

The State of the Union Address - UPDATED

Announcement from the TIB Network and Wide Awakes Radio: I'll be anchoring the W.A.R. coverage on the President's State of the Union Address. Pre-game show starts at 7PM eastern with the speech itself at 9PM. Post-game analysis after the speech until at least 10PM eastern. Please tune in...

What do we expect?

The Domestic Agenda:

Health care. Bush will propose a tax deduction of $7,500 for individuals and $15,000 for families regardless of whether they buy their own health insurance or receive medical coverage at work. He also would subject employer-sponsored health care benefits to taxation, meaning those with more policies worth more than the deduction would see a tax hike. But those who get policies at work worth less than the deduction, the preponderance of workers with employer-provided insurance, would get a tax break. Another proposal would give some federal money now going to hospitals and other facilities to states for programs to reduce the number of uninsured.

Energy. Bush is expected to call for a sharp escalation in the federal mandate on use of ethanol as a renewable fuel alternative, a goal that may prove difficult to meet. He also may seek the power to raise fuel economy standards for passenger cars, authority he also asked for last year. Some Democrats worried the plan would give transportation officials overly broad authority to change the system.

Education. Bush will push for Congress to renew his education accountability law, No Child Left Behind, which expires this year. Democrats will expect him to go along with increases in spending to help schools make the required progress under the law.

National Security:

Bush was not expected to rehash the speech he gave less than two weeks ago laying out his revamped plan for Iraq, the centerpiece of which is a 21,500-troop increase in the U.S. military presence. Instead, he was to broadly defend his stand that Iraq is part of a war on terror that will make Americans safer.

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information comes available.

UPDATE: Over at The Corner, K-Lo reports:

Tony Snow just said (on The Today Show) that the president is going to talk about immigration in a way that is "visionary" tonight in the State of the Union. Hey, go for it. Goodness knows we could use some law-abiding, non-patronizing vision on this front.

UPDATE 2 - AP News Alert:

WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush will call in his State of the Union message for Americans to cut their gasoline consumption by 20 percent by 2017.

That's great...but unless he has a PLAN for doing this it is meaningless...

UPDATE 3 - From Reuters:

About 30 million Americans could face a tax hike under President George W. Bush's plan to expand health insurance coverage and address rising health care costs, the White House said on Monday

The LAST thing we need is yet another big government entitlement program...

UPDATE 4 - AP News Alert:

WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush will seek in his State of the Union message to dissuade skeptical lawmakers who are ready to oppose his Iraq war build up, the White House says.

The only way this works is if he announce a plan to cut and run...and I don't think you'll be hearing that during tonight's speech...