Live365 Announces Deals with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC to Offer Website Licensing to Internet Broadcasters
Live365 Strengthens Its Position as a One-Stop-Shop by Providing Licensing, Streaming and Distribution Services to Internet Broadcasters
FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 2004--
Live365, the largest Internet radio network, announced today deals with performing rights societies ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC to offer discounted Internet licenses to select Live365 broadcasters. An Internet broadcaster can now come to Live365 for all of their needs including bandwidth, hosting and performing rights licensing that authorizes them to stream stations from their own websites. The total monthly fee for eligible broadcasters will be either $38 or $48 to cover licenses from all three societies. To find out more about Live365's Streaming services, visit www.live365.com/pro.
"Live365 is committed to ensuring that all the necessary royalties are paid so that artists, record labels, publishers and songwriters are fairly compensated for their works," said Rags Gupta, chief operating officer of Live365. "We are excited to be working with ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC to offer our customers what they have long requested -- a bundled one-stop-shop for any licensing they may need to extend their web presence beyond Live365.com. Besides the convenience, our customers will also benefit from the discounts and monthly payment terms offered on these licenses, with BMI having also created a 'hobbyist' tier of license especially for Live365 broadcasters for only $10 per month."
"We have been working for several years on a license with industry leaders covering community based webcasters," said Richard Conlon, Vice President Marketing and Business Development, BMI. "Live365 is the first party to step up to the plate. This unique marketing agreement makes it easier for members of the Live365 community to secure a BMI license to put their Live365 internet radio stations on their own sites."
"ASCAP makes it a practice to bring innovation and mutual reward to the licensing of new media, and this agreement is no exception. Live365 broadcasters may now obtain access to ASCAP's 7.5 million musical works by way of the new affiliate program, and ASCAP's member owners, the copyright holders of these works, will receive fair compensation," said Matt DeFilippis, Director of New Media and Technology at ASCAP.
Vincent Peppe, Director and Counsel, Internet and New Media Licensing at SESAC, said: "SESAC is the world's fastest growing performing rights organization and represents all styles of music. SESAC's new agreement with Live365 enables those Live365 webcasters who generate a limited amount of revenue to obtain SESAC licenses for their Live365 Stations. SESAC is delighted to work with Live365, which has earned a loyal following of webcasters and listeners representing a wide variety of musical genres and interests."
Under the terms of the deal, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC will each separately offer Live365 an unprecedented licensing fee and payment plan that the company will offer to eligible broadcasters exclusively using Live365. Live365 will facilitate the execution of licenses with all three societies. The Company will then collect these fees on behalf of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Through the deal, Live365 strengthens its position as a one-stop-shop for Internet broadcasters by facilitating the easy payment of CARP royalties to SoundExchange via Live365's statutory license, and songwriter royalties to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC; and enables broadcasters to continue programming their content in a legal and affordable manner.
About Live365
With thousands of stations and more than 2 million listeners a month, Live365 is the largest Internet radio network. The Company gives individuals and organizations a "voice" to be able to reach a global audience, while offering radio listeners an unparalleled choice in music and other audio content. Through easy-to-use tools and services, anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can create their own Internet radio station. As a result, Live365 offers the most diverse array of high-quality radio available today, spanning myriad genres and over 150 countries.
Launched in July 1999, Live365 is a two-time winner of the Best Radio Website Award from the Web Marketing Association, a two-time winner of the People's Voice award for Best Music Site at the Webby Awards, and has received Best-of-Web designations from Forbes.com and the San Francisco Chronicle. The Company is a member of the Digital Media Association (DiMA), the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Association for Independent Music (AFIM), the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS), and Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI). Based in Foster City, California, Live365 is DMCA-compliant and pays royalties to labels, artists, songwriters and publishers.
Contacts
mPRm Public Relations
Candice Yusim, 323-933-3399
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