Month: March 2017

Written by Chris Castle

What’s in the New Fair Play, Fair Pay Act?

FPFP disrupts the antiquated legacy rules and plug the unintended consequences that has spawned seemingly endless litigation and commercial disruption. The new bill would establish a performance right and royalty for broadcast radio (with suitable protection for noncommercial stations), give guidance to courts that Congress recognizes that pre-72 recordings should attract a royalty like any other recording, and protect artists and producers for their share of statutory language while making a clear statement that nothing in the bill is intended to reduce payments to songwriters.

Written by Chris Castle

It Could Get Worse: UK Solicitor General Tells Google Don’t Be Criminal

According to multiple sources including the London Times, the UK’s Solicitor General floated the possibility that Google executives may face criminal prosecution for revenue share agreements with terrorist supporters posting videos on YouTube that Google monetized with advertising.  So not only would Google be in breach of its promises to advertisers, Google might also have […]

Written by Editor Charlie

Understanding Google’s Advertising Problem

“Why does Rice play Texas?” President John F. Kennedy, the “Moon Speech” Sept. 12, 1962 If you’ve been aghast at the reporting on Google’s advertising problem, it’s important to distinguish which is more shocking–that they did it, that they got caught, or that anyone thought it serious enough to report on.  Because it is an […]

Written by Editor Charlie

@thetrichordist: Timely Reprint: Do You Want Your Music Alongside Hate Rock Songs? Artist Face YouTube Music Dilemma

In light of the Google/YouTube boycott by brands whose ads have appeared next to hate speech. We thought we’d reprint this piece from November 2014!! Forget exploitative pay from Spotify! Do you want your music on YouTube Music? Will you be alongside Hate rock songs? Jihadi Recruitment Music Videos? Probably. YouTube is full of this. […]

Written by Chris Castle

Rule Britannia

The word “never” is best heard in its original British.  Whether it’s the delicious Churchillian triplets we could all do well to remember at the moment or the grand old song by James Thomson and Thomas Arne that foreshadowed Churchill’s immortal usage.  With suitable forelocking by the chorus and accoutrement, I give you Sarah Patricia […]

Written by Editor Charlie

Following the Money: Solutions for Google’s Problems with Defrauded Advertisers — Music Tech Solutions

Google’s UK Policy Manager Theo Bertram advised in 2012–“Follow the Money to Fight Online Piracy”. Google’s copyright lawyer Katherine Oyama endorsed this approach on behalf of Google before the U.S. Congress in 2011 (“We would publicly support legislation like what I described, the follow the money approach…”). Several UK banks and other advertisers are now […]