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New Media News Every Morning

ReverbNation.com to begin paying musicians

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reverbnation.jpgReverbNation.com announced that artists will receive 50% of the revenues generated by the advertising displayed on artist profile pages. The new program, dubbed “Fair Share”, is scheduled to launch July of 2007.

“Artists are searching for new ways to earn money in this rapidly changing business,” said Jed Carlson, Chief Marketing Officer. “The relationships artists have with their fans are valuable beyond simply selling songs or tickets. They just need ways to tap into the Band Equitytm they have built up with those fans. Sharing in ad revenue with sites like ours is one of those ways. ”

At the end of each month, half of the advertising revenue from ads across all artist profile pages will be put into a pool. That pool of money is divided among the artists participating in the Fair Share program based upon the proportion of site activity each artist generated for the month. Site activity includes things such as page view activity, song play activity, and fan activity. To qualify, artists must hold the copyrights (or permission from the rightful copyright owners) to all the content displayed on their profile pages.

Originally posted on May 10, 2007 @ 6:44 am

WDMG launches high-definition music channel via IPTV

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Your Music Channel TelevisionWorld Digital Media Group, L.L.C. (WDMG) announced the launch of its Internet TV channel. Your Music Channel Television (YMCtv), a division of WDMG, is a global site providing superior quality video on demand, unlike static IP music sites. The Web-based channel celebrates the best of the new and old worlds by showcasing spectacular-quality content that’s always about music.

YMCtv.com show host and coordinating producer Will Weinand gives a daily Internet broadcast in which he announces that the all-music channel is designed with “you” in mind. Instead of confining viewers to a linear program, YMCtv.com can be user-customized, separating it from simple file-sharing sites like YouTube. Content is designed to be easily e-mailed, digitally downloaded or available for physical purchase. Weinand not only features WDMG-affiliated artists and bands, but also third-party indie music under “Your Music Videos.”

“YMCtv.com is setting a new standard in the Web-based music technology industry,” said Brad M. Smith, chief digital officer. “We have a serious commitment to providing the very best quality possible while always allowing our viewers to see exactly what they want, when they want it. Our videos allow viewers to feel like they’re really inside the recording studio or one-on-one with a celebrity or legend.”

Originally posted on May 9, 2007 @ 8:31 pm

Aggrega’s Pandora for Videos

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Aggrega - music video sharing

Aggrega‘s concept is great: a Pandora for music videos (it also has a photos section that I haven’t tried). Unfortunately, while it’s home page looks inviting, and its playlist page is cleanly laid out, it’s “create channel” algorithm is sorely lacking. Pandora’s algorithm shines, being able to offer very relevant suggestions when you specify an artist name or song title. Aggrega’s not there yet.

For example, I entered two artists from the 1980s as “seeds”. (They were not obscure, but I can’t remember what I used.) Aggrega came back with a ginormous list in two very widely separated columns. It was painful trying to checkmark and scroll down, checkmark and scroll down. This is the first thing that has to be fixed, followed by better relevance. This morning, though, I tried “U2, Elvis Costello”, and it produced a list of about 4 artists, including U2 twice. Not sure what that’s about, and there were no recommendations for additional, similar artists. Except that one that I’d never heard of. Surely there are other artists to recommend. I can think of half a dozen British acts that match Costello’s “angry young man” years.

Yes, I know Aggrega’s in beta, and yes, I really think I could love Aggrega, but not just yet. For now, it’s just flirting with me, teasing me with what could be. For the time being, I can produce a more compact visual content using SplashCast and YouTube, building a complete music video channel in a single player, with auto-forward between videos.

However, if Yahoo and Microsoft are on acquistion sprees, to keep up with Google, here’s my suggestion. One of you pull out your wallet and buy both Aggrega and Pandora, then combine their functionality. Do that, and you’ll have one of the coolest applications online. If these video “channels” can be transferred to a portable video device, even better. And if you merge, like the Friday blogospheric buzz indicated, then you can’t lose. Right?

Originally posted on May 7, 2007 @ 1:42 pm

Fabulously40.com promotes new on USA Network

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starterwife.jpg
In time for Mothers Day, Fabulously40.com, the only online sorority for women in their prime, is promoting with the USA Network a new 6-hour television series “The Starter Wife.”

“The Starter Wife” is a sexy, savvy and wickedly funny tour de force about life after divorce and one woman’s quest to redefine herself after years of marriage to a Hollywood studio head. After being blacklisted from premieres to pilates, Molly Kagan (Debra Messing) searches to rediscover life after divorce.

FabulouslyForty is a social networking Web site and a destination for women of a certain age, who want to celebrate and embrace their life. The Website provides their sorority sisters with a platform to develop individual profiles, build personal blogs, promote their hobbies, businesses, post photos as well as host and have access to their own e-mail accounts – all in a member-secure community environment. Fabulously40 social network offer women a forum for self-expression, instant connection with others alike and valuable education through articles and discussion forums.

“Fabulously40.com provides women with a unique opportunity to create their own profiles, link to other members in the network and become a part of a vast community of women, who share the same interests and look to support one another,” said Yana Berlin, founder of Fabulously40 Inc. “We believe The Starter Wife will resonate with our audience and we are pleased to help promote the series to our members.”

Originally posted on May 7, 2007 @ 5:54 am

Razz launches as content service provider

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Razz, Inc. announced its official launch as content service provider of next-generation audio entertainment for mobile content and social network users.

Razz enables users to enrich their voice communications using premium or user-generated audio content. Via its proprietary technologies, Razz allows users to interject their favorite sound clips including music, movie lines, comedians, and celebrity quips into live phone calls or onto personal web pages. Whether it’s conversations, voicemail messages, outgoing greetings or enhancing web pages, Razz’s products add a new level of personality and interactivity to social communications.

“In conjunction with our aggressive product development and client service strategies, we are now pursuing our own direct to consumer efforts,” said Jeff Malkin, CEO of Razz, Inc. “And, as we enter our fifth year of operations, we’re also re-branding the company to reflect our singular focus of providing next-generation audio entertainment to the mobile/social networking crowd. Everyone should and will be Razzed… we look forward to becoming a household name.”

Originally posted on April 26, 2007 @ 2:11 pm