Every once in a while, we bring up some social or political issues here. This might not be totally music related, but it relates to the radio so there is a connection. MSNBC’s Ed Schultz has been calling for the “Fairness Doctrine,” which has been called the “socialization” of U.S. radio. The hope is that the programing on the radio, and the opinions on it, are balanced between the Democrats and the Republicans. Currently, the Republicans have a greater hold over talk radio and Ed Schultz doesn’t like it one bit. However, the Democrats have a much larger hold over the cable network news stations. Recently, Ed Schultz called for the reform of radio in the U.S. to fight the Republican agenda… Continue Reading

There are some radio stations that make us completely heartbroken, such as the loss of Indie 103.1 and Denver dedicating themselves to stripper hits, and then there are radio stations which can change for the better.

An Athens, Georgia radio station has changed their college radio station to an all Obama, all the time station. If you’ve ever had the fantasy of having Obama politics and some pretty funky tunes all in one place while you’re waiting in traffic on the way to work or finishing your mid-term essay, then 101.1 FM Bulldog has got you covered. (This is a huge tip, Obama girl.)

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In a digital age where album sales no longer accurately represent a band’s success, it has become increasingly important for bands and labels to be able to measure popularity on the Internet, on sites like Myspace, Last.fm, YouTube, SoundCloud and Facebook. Music data site Band Metrics is looking to offer such a service, and opened up the private beta today for several thousand artists to test its system, reports Hypebot.

Band Metrics not only gauges song plays, profile views and comments across various platforms, but also tracks airplay on over 3,500 radio stations, and scores your music 8 different ways. For example, your band has a “fandom” rating and “brand strength”. The company is also launching a standard format for sending and receiving data from the site, so it’s easy for users to share band data between each other. Check out some of the more interesting forthcoming features in development:

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The Performance Royalties Act and the Webcaster Settlement Act were debated today by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. The Performance Rights Act, supported by Billy Corgan, would impose a “performance tax” on broadcast radio stations, which traditionally don’t pay artists and labels. In fact, some say that major labels have paid stations in exchange for airplay in the past. The Committee voted 21 to 9 to send the Act to full House for a vote.

The Webcaster Settlement Act would lower royalty rates for Internet radio services. Jonathan Potter, Executive Director of the Digital Media Association said that the Act will make sure “Internet radio royalties are determined using the same fairness-based balancing test that has always been the standard for setting cable and satellite radio royalties.”

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Occasionally, there is that rare moment when the unstoppable force: music meets the immovable object: television and, for a few glorious minutes, all is right with the world. When melded into one seamless medium of entertainment both benefit creatively and financially.

BeatCrave has gathered together the top ten moments in television/music history when magic turned a great show into a hit show, a small band into a stadium filling act, and a simple song into the foreshadowing of a career. Whether it is a series finale going out with a tune so perfect even grown men wept, a meta-television moment on one of the most inspired/influential TV shows of all time or a mysterious island castaway playing the somber song by an islander of a different sort, the following list celebrates the combinations two when artistic medias create greatness.

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The Future of Music Coalition (FMC) has conducted a study called “Same Old Song” to determine the amount of independent music played on terrestrial radio. It turns out that from 2005 to 2008, indie music received only slightly more than 10 percent of traditional commercial radio airplay, with major label artists securing 78 to 82 percent. The results are somewhat expected, but grossly unfair, as indie music accounts for 30 percent of total music sales in the US.

“(…) Independents are simply not receiving a fair shake from commercial over-the-air radio,” said Rich Bengloff, President of the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). “It’s obvious that music fans want independent music, and commercial radio programmers continue to ignore that demand.”

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Although we support our friends at 103.1 in their decision to go digital, it’s no secret that we will miss all their eclectic, quirky, rocking radio programs that came with the awesome music. We’re still hoping the petition will help bring them back, but the internet broadcast with only music might be what’s permanently left.

Who’s going to beat Jonesy at being our favorite blunt, foul mouthed Brit? Who’s going to give us callers entertainment-related legal advice like Joe Escalente? Who’s going to spotlight the local indie musicians as Mark Sovel did? Who’s going to keep our Sunday afternoons mellow with those Reggae beats as well as Native Wayne? Then last but not least, which other female is going to be bad-ass enough to bring you hard-core metal like Full Metal Jackie? So we ask you…

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Yesterday we found out that Los Angeles radio station Indie 103.1 would be going off the air due to artistic integrity. Many of you have left questions, comments, complaints, and even some insults about the matter. Today, Mark Sovel the Music Director of 103.1 clears up your questions as he talks about why they decided to pull the station off the air.

To start answering vondrak question of what really happened, the decision was not a surprise, that they had seen it coming for some time:

Mark Sovel: It wasn’t out of the blue. I knew it was going to happen. There had been a back and forth struggle to keep the station going. But to our employers’ credit, they allowed us to go on air and say goodbye to everyone.

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***Update: Music Director Answers Your Questions and Clears Up SOME Rumors***

Wow! You know Indie 103.1 is probably the closest we’ll ever see to a real life Empire Records? Anyone who lives in LA, knows that this is probably one of the best radio stations to listen to. They are known for playing great music, from great musicians no matter what the artists status or income. I have always wondered how they avoided the corporate radio BS that all the other stations have given into. Apparently, they have had to deal with the same problems, only instead of giving in they have decided to keep their Indie integrity and go off the air.

As of NOW Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting immediately and take their music to the Internet, where real music belongs!

Damn the man! Check out the message just posted on Indie’s website…

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