Harv Roman
Radio Personality : WCEV 1450 AM Chicago
Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
I wish that I could say that "Wake Up Dancing" was going to make its' return to the internet waves this Friday morning, but I can't. Our website is still not back up and the webcasting has become less of a priority with WLUW management.
Don't blame them, but priority one is getting the WLUW production and performance studios working. We have become known for showcasing live performances by local artists and the relocation of the studios have put a temporary halt to the performances, so that is job number one.
Secondly, the website needs to be re-launched. The station is switching web hosts and that is going to take some time.
Finally, the webcasting issue has raised it's ugly head thanks to the recent rulings made by the Library of Congress. Fees have now been set for webcasting at .35 per song per 1,000 listeners, .02 per song, per 1,000 listeners for non-profit radio stations, which WLUW happens to be. Even at that rate, we can expect to pay a minimum of $2,500 per year to SoundExchange, the musical police for the internet broadcasters. Even worse, bands are now being required to register every recorded song they ever made to SoundExchange. If they decide not to do so, The company still collects the royalties...and yadda, yadda, yadda...
This is a very screwy situation. I don't know how millions of internet webcasters are going to be policed, but who knows...
This post has become longer than I wanted it to be. I'm still on the air from 6am to 9am Central on WLUW (88.7 FM) in Chicago and you can still post requests, but unless you're in the Chicago area, you'll just have to read all about it here-and that's a shame-after all that the Freestyle webcasts and websites have done to promote and revive the music.
If you want to read first hand about all of this internet/radio "stuff", go to www.soundexchange.com and prepare to be flabbergasted...
Thanks for your patience as I miss you all,
Harv Roman
I wish that I could say that "Wake Up Dancing" was going to make its' return to the internet waves this Friday morning, but I can't. Our website is still not back up and the webcasting has become less of a priority with WLUW management.
Don't blame them, but priority one is getting the WLUW production and performance studios working. We have become known for showcasing live performances by local artists and the relocation of the studios have put a temporary halt to the performances, so that is job number one.
Secondly, the website needs to be re-launched. The station is switching web hosts and that is going to take some time.
Finally, the webcasting issue has raised it's ugly head thanks to the recent rulings made by the Library of Congress. Fees have now been set for webcasting at .35 per song per 1,000 listeners, .02 per song, per 1,000 listeners for non-profit radio stations, which WLUW happens to be. Even at that rate, we can expect to pay a minimum of $2,500 per year to SoundExchange, the musical police for the internet broadcasters. Even worse, bands are now being required to register every recorded song they ever made to SoundExchange. If they decide not to do so, The company still collects the royalties...and yadda, yadda, yadda...
This is a very screwy situation. I don't know how millions of internet webcasters are going to be policed, but who knows...
This post has become longer than I wanted it to be. I'm still on the air from 6am to 9am Central on WLUW (88.7 FM) in Chicago and you can still post requests, but unless you're in the Chicago area, you'll just have to read all about it here-and that's a shame-after all that the Freestyle webcasts and websites have done to promote and revive the music.
If you want to read first hand about all of this internet/radio "stuff", go to www.soundexchange.com and prepare to be flabbergasted...
Thanks for your patience as I miss you all,
Harv Roman
