April 30, 2018, Issue 599 For Pod’s Sake: Exploring On-Demand “It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls,” Bob Dylan famously sang. “For the times the times they are a-changin’.” Dylan wasn’t wailing about media technology, but he could’ve been. A variety of audio entertainment options are rattling radio’s windows and walls, podcasting square among them. According to Edison Research, more than a quarter of Ameri- cans ages 12+ now listen monthly (73 million), a number that’s increased dramatically since 2013, along with weekly listeners, which top 48 million. Industry revenues, which now hover around $250 million, have outpaced projections in recent years and are expected to double by 2020. There’s a lot of upside, in other words, and one look at Netflix suggests the sky could be the limit. The issue for radio is how to respond. Clear-cut strategies are elusive and sugges- tions include everything from treating podcasts Garthcoach: Pearl’s Garth Brooks (r) and Gwendolyn’s Trisha Chris Peterson as a cure-all to avoiding them altogether. “There’s no playbook,” iHeartRadio SVP/Pod- Yearwood (l) with KRTY/San Jose’s Nate Deaton and wife Judy at Stagecoach last night (4/29). casting Chris Peterson acknowledged during CRS 2018’s “Pod- casting: Where The Passion Pays Off” panel in February. “We’re creating something new here.” Songwriters: Pay ’Em Forward The House of Representatives passed the Music Modernization Recycling Bin: Amplifi Media’sSteve Goldstein, a broad- Act (H.R. 5447) 415-0 last Wednesday (CAT 4/25), bringing song- caster-turned-new media strategist who joined writers a step closer to improved compensation when their works Peterson on the CRS panel, says two important are streamed. While the creative community is things are happening. “Podcasting is follow- hopeful a corner is being turned, whatever the ing the arc that’s occurring in television,” he new normal becomes, it will likely fall well short observes, noting the proliferation of on-de- of the pre-digital world’s support for creators. mand video content. “And the smartphone is If passed by the Senate and approved by the becoming the entertainment hub.” One out of President, MMA will update music copyright laws four audio minutes today is being consumed and changes what can be considered by courts, via smartphone, he says, and radio needs a Steve Goldstein setting new rates for streaming services to pay cohesive strategy for it. writers and publishers. “This updates rules from Part of that can be podcasts, Goldstein counsels, and the two most Bart Herbison 1909 and 1941 to modern rules, which should sensible plays center on recycled on-air content and/or original result in higher royalties,” says NSAI Exec. Dir. Bart Herbison. content. He says radio should approach the first option cautiously, Publishers and songwriters will also create and govern an however. “People want control,” Goldstein argues. “So you have to agency that licenses mechanical rights to streaming companies. (continued on page 6) ©2018 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 30, 2018 Page 4 MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE “That’s important because we want to do it instead of having Google or the government in charge,” he adds. MooTV Pres./Founder Scott Scovill The issues around creator compensation are complex and far discusses his most influential music: from solved, but Herbison says if the measure passes it will be 1. U2’s The Joshua Tree: In 1987 I “a huge step forward. There’s no single reason we fell into the was flunking out of college. I had just current situation and there isn’t a single thing that will get us out, been diagnosed with fear of failure. but this is big.” While waiting tables, a tour bus pulled When it comes to street level compensation in. I was blown away to find they were for songwriters, Herbison says, “We’ve prob- U2’s technical staff. I said, “I’d have ably steadied. The cost was losing somewhere thought you’d have to be Bono’s cousin or between eight and nine out of every 10 work- Scott Scovill something to work with U2.” The cheeky ing songwriters, but it is now more stable for reply was that seven of them were the the ones who are left.” best in the world at what they did, and the eighth was Adam, “There was a time writers could have a nice Bono’s cousin. This broke the ice and they invited me to career, a nice livelihood, without having hits,” Ben Vaughn their next two shows. On night two I had a paradigm shift. says Warner/Chappell Nashville Pres. Ben As the lights dropped and the crowd went wild, I decided I Vaughn. “They were consistently able to pull in a decent amount was going to get on tour, see the world and make the music of album cuts per year. Now album cuts are supplemental income. happen. I overcame my fear and started applying myself. It’s a singles business.” Thanks to U2 and The Joshua Tree, I discovered a career in “It’s no secret streaming has knocked out the CD market, music and a life that I’m proud of. and now the download market, too,” says Patrick Joseph Music 2. Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock The Jukebox”: This was Pres. Pat Higdon. “Since we started moving into the singles Alan’s hit when his management saw a Paula Abdul show I and streaming environment, it’s left fewer opportunities for in- worked on. They brought me to Nashville to direct his shows. come-earning events for your songwriters. It’s Alan and I both thought importing a long-haired rock guy harder to develop songwriters, because you who knew nothing about country was a terrible idea. I quickly just don’t have as many things to sustain you grew to admire Alan and I am honored for my part in his until the big hit comes along.” career. Moo TV was born from my move to Nashville. I am “The most valuable thing we have is time, eternally grateful for this. because we’re all trying to get from hit to 3. Garth Brooks’ “The River”: When Garth returned hit,” says Vaughn. “You have to give yourself from his 13-year hiatus I went all out to ensure Moo TV was enough time to get to the hits, or to some his video vendor. There is no more powerful place in music Pat Higdon consistency of hits. [Therefore] the writer than at a Garth show, and I was determined to be part of draws need to be in line, to allow the writer that magic. Shortly after being asked to do the tour, I stood at enough time to ride out the variances between hits. And when the back of the floor facing the crowd instead of the show, as people do have hits and we’re winning together, we have no “The River” started. It was one of those moments when a song problem with bonusing writers or doing things within the deal to can just be everything. reward success. I’m just mainly focused on getting there.” 4. Rush’s Signals: On the night of its release I stayed up Higdon points to overall revenue decline putting downward late and listened to it from start to finish with my Radio Shack pressure on writer deals. “Especially at the smaller publisher level, headphones plugged into my GE boom box. Magic. you really have to believe in somebody [to sign them],” he says. • “Important” music you just don’t get: I once told Alan “You have to take a long-term approach, be frugal with what you Jackson releasing “Chattahootchie” as a single would be a huge do, and then you can pick and choose what you think are your mistake. C’mon Alan … “Hotter than a Hootchie Cootchie” best bets. What we’re all hoping is that the streaming numbers get ... you can’t be serious. Based on that bad advice, I voluntarily so high that we’re back in the game with more writers.” revoked my right to share my opinion for the next decade. Even Vaughn points to other bright spots. “Look at our partners at though my decade is up, I’ve learned my lesson in this area. ASCAP, BMI and SESAC – they’re posting record performance rev- ©2018 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 30, 2018 Page 6 enues,” he says, noting that money is hit driven. “Is there a corner benefitting the 10th Annual Citizens for Progress (CFP) Scholarship that’s turned if you’re not having hit songs? I don’t see it now. The Fundraiser. big takeaway is much more hope in this space. Much more edu- BMG’s Alabama will perform at Jacksonville State University’s cation about the value of the people actually writing the music.” JSU Stadium Sept. 26 to raise money for tornado relief. Joining In terms of signing and developing more songwriters, Herbison them are Charlie Daniels Band, Jamey Johnson, Riley has seen an uptick. “Songs are on the charts longer and record Green, Shenandoah and Darren Knight “Southern Momma.” labels have found other ways to make money with 360 deals,” Tickets go on sale tomorrow (5/1) here. Donate here. he says. “That does trickle down to the writer. And the increase in publishing deals also reflects publishers doing more of what For Pod’s Sake: Exploring On-Demand record labels used to do.