The internet is fundamentally disrupting the traditional mainstream content distribution and selling models, starting with music and games, followed by TV, film, books and print publishing.

Soon everyone will be “always on”, mobile and hyper-connected, and everything will available all the time. How will content be created, distributed, marketed, consumed, and paid for? Who will do what, for whom, and how will the traditional players such as broadcasters, record labels, publishers and distributors adjust to the new landscape? If new players, starting with telecoms, device makers, advertisers and brands, indeed move into the content business, what will be their challenges and opportunities?

Given the challenging financial climate, how do we reconcile the need to reward enterprise and secure sustainable revenue streams, with the expectations and demands of the “freeconomics” generation? What kind of legal, regulatory and cultural framework do we need to ensure that this new eco-system of creators, consumers and intermediaries generates more benefits for all involved?

Speakers: Gerd Leonhard, media futurist, author and blogger; Richard Titus, Controller of Future Media, Audio, Music & Mobile, BBC; David A. Smith, chief executive of Global Futures and Foresight (GFF).

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From WNYC’s Soundcheck: “Portable audio players are putting more young people at risk for hearing loss. In the latest installment of our month-long series ‘Sound Off,’ we explore the latest research and find out what you can do to protect your hearing.

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Today Apple talked about the new iPhone 3.0 software that will be available this spring.

Apple announced that the new iPhone software will be compatible with embedded video in HTML5, which is supported by GravityLab’s mobile hosting solutions, like mp4 H.264. Also HTTP streaming for audio and video, codecs and chunking support.

Trust the GravityLab network for all your streaming video hosting solutions, including iPhone streaming products designed to reach your mobile audience.

To get started with a free consultation about converting your multimedia assets to mobile compatible formats and delivery, contact us today.

The Lonely Forest, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head and The Oregon Donor are Pacific Northwest pop bands finding new fans across the country. The groups are getting recording contracts, touring widely and generating buzz in the pages of pop music magazines like Spin. Part of their success comes from their prize winning performances at Sound Off. Sponsored by Seattle’s Experience Music Project, the Sound Off competition is a battle of Pacific Northwest bands made up of musicians 21 years old and younger.

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University of Washington President Mark Emmert and the department of Computer Science and Engineering host Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for the final stop of his six-university tour, as Gates transitions from Microsoft to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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via nytimes.com

Millions of cubicle dwellers across the country helped set records for Internet traffic on Tuesday as they watched online video of the inauguration ceremonies — or at least tried to. The overwhelming demand meant that some Web sites and data networks had trouble keeping up, forcing many people to turn to less cutting-edge forms of media.

The latest on the inauguration of Barack Obama and other news from Washington and around the nation. Join the discussion.

“It was really frustrating to have this great technology and still not be able to watch the speech,” said Dan Robinson, who runs the box office at the Julliard School in New York. “I had to use this TV from the early ’80s and some rabbit ears to watch it.”

Internet traffic in the United States hit a record peak at the start of President Obama’s speech as people watched, read about and commented on the inauguration, according to Bill Woodcock, the research director at the Packet Clearing House, a nonprofit organization that analyzes online traffic. The figures surpassed even the high figures on the day President Obama was elected.

“The peak is the highest measured to date, and it appears to be mostly a U.S. phenomenon,” Mr. Woodcock said, adding that it did not appear that global records would be set.
Continue reading Record demand for streaming video: Obama Inauguration

Tom Morello, lead guitarist for Rage Against the Machine performing “Midnight in the City of Destruction” from his new solo album “The Fabled City” at the Wall Street Journal … of all places.

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From KCRW’s On the Beat – Last month, the legendary rock band, the Allman Brothers, filed a lawsuit for $13 million against Universal Music. The Allman Brothers contend that Universal has been shorting the band their full compensation for the sale of their music on outlets like iTunes. The Allman Brothers are hoping to make their case an example for other recording artists with similar contracts. Cheap Trick has already filed suit, and many in the business are watching to see how these lawsuits will finally play out.

Innovations in the marketplace require contractual clarity, for the fairness of all involved. But before the 1970’s, no one was thinking about their digital future. Who could have imagined new distribution pipelines, created by third parties who would parse out a digital song file and sell it at the click of a mouse.

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Google investors have really only one question about YouTube: When does the search giant figure out how to turn those hundreds of millions of video views into cash?

While founder Chad Hurley is still bullish on YouTube’s ad potential, he told us that this one, big online video answer everyone was looking for didn’t exist. Instead, YouTube would be rolling out a range of options starting in the next few months.

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From WNYC – “The video-sharing site YouTube is a reliable source of homemade comedy, political manifestos and quirky confessionals. It could also put some music teachers out of a job. Today we examine the pros and cons of music lessons offered through the popular online destination.”

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You might be listening to us streaming live right now over your smartphone. KUOW from Seattle discusses the future of mobile radio, including the implications of streaming content for the major US carriers, third party developers, and mobile hosting masters, like gravlab.

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One of the great things about the music business right now is that the door is wide open for talent with vision, particularly if they already have a fan base. Celia Hirschman with On the Beat for KCRW discusses how innovative musicians are bypassing the traditional model of music distribution to reach their listeners.

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For years, DJs and MCs fended off declarations of hip hop’s demise with innovative beats and chart-busting albums. But these days, hip hop is stuck in a deep funk. From WNYC’s Soundcheck, we look at hip hop’s soul-searching journey into the future.

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The record industry decline actually began the day the Sony Walkman was released.

Up until the Walkman’s innovation, people shared the experience of music. They bought records and played them for their friends. But once they had a portable player, with earphones firmly nestled in their ears, sharing music was no longer important. And by the time downloading was introduced, listening on your own was well established.

Let’s face facts. Americans want to be entertained. The average American family is watching American Idol, Hannah Montana, and buying Guitar Hero and Grand Theft Auto. The record business is being given a real run for its money. Those shiny music discs are just no competition for what is considered entertainment these days.

Many in the business are trying to solve this difficult problem. But to solve it, you need to understand what the problem really is.

From KCRW’s On The Beat, find out why the music business needs to adjust to meet the market rather than hoping the market will come and meet them.

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