Tuesday, February 8, 2011

CBS Puts A Price On Listening To Last.FM...

While website streaming remains free, listening to radio on mobile devices will cost you. CBS joins a growing list of providers to charge a subscription price for mobile device usage. Starting February 15, CBS will require a $3 monthly charge for listening to Last.FM. While $3 may not be a lot for what will become a paid app, this is not the best way to encourage radio listening on mobile devices, is it? CBS claims that cost-prohibitive streaming music royalties is forcing their hand. "We believe our radio - whether it's a personalized station or artist and tag radio - is the best in the world and we're proud of the depth and range of our catalogue of music from major labels, indies and unsigned artists." ...

CBS adds this: "We're committed to building Last.FM into a bigger service that gives listeners the best music discovery experience anywhere while financially supporting and promoting the artists who make the music we love." Last.FM said the reason for the new fees is because while the website platform allows for an ad-supported model, it just doesn't make sense on smartphones, some gaming consoles and other home entertainment devices. At least those who pay to play won't have any commercials to listen to. The other features like music and event recommendations, social networking, wiki-based artist pages and scrobbling will remain free. Last.FM uses a music recommender system called "audioscrobbler." ...

Techland reports that in addition to Last.FM - you are either, or soon will be, paying for listening to radio on Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile 7 and Squeezebox. That list will grow in the days ahead. Will consumers be chased away by the fees and search for free radio apps to listen to? My educated guess is that the radio sources that remain free will get lots of new mobile listeners...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1910] On my honor: The Boy Scouts of America is incorporated…
2.1915] Giving birth: Director D.W. Griffith’s civil war epic, “Birth Of A Nation” premieres at Clune’s Auditorium in Los Angeles. The three-hour silent movie cost $100,000, a fortune in 1915…
3.1922] On the radio: Warren G. Harding becomes the first president to have a radio installed in the White House. We like Harding...
4.1968] Death on the highway: Three college students die in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg (SC) during a civil rights protest...
5.1980] Charlie Rangel is pleased: President Jimmy Carter unveils a plan to re-introduce draft registration. Fortunately this movement never materializes. Rangel is a long time proponent of the draft...
6.1990] “Happy Trails“: Singer Del Shannon dies from a self-inflicted gun shot wound at 50…2005] Former Epic Records head of promotion, Al Gurewitz passes away from bladder cancer at 73…2007] Legendary singer Frankie Laine dies of heart failure at 93…2007] Anna Nicole Smith dies from ‘combined drug intoxication’ at 39…
7.1993] So sue me: General Motors sues NBC, alleging that 'Dateline NBC' had rigged two crashes to show the GM pickups were prone to fires. NBC settles the lawsuit the following day...
8.1996] Cyberspace: The largest one day online event to-date brings together the world's top photographers, editors, programmers and interactive designers to create a digital time capsule of online life. It's called "24 Hours in Cyberspace"...
9.1999] Clinton's trials and tribulations: The Senate hears closing arguments in President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial...
10.2010] Guilty as charged: Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death...

Music Memories:
  • 1961] Number One on this date: "Calcutta" - Lawrence Welk...1981] "Celebration" - Kool & The Gang...
  • 1974] Released on this date: "You're 16" - Ringo Starr...

Events:

An Italian Valentine's Day Concert will be held Sunday, February 13, 2011 from 3pm-6pm, at John Cranford Adams Playhouse, 118 Hofstra University in Hempstead. The show stars Jenna Esposito, Uncle Floyd & Tony B. For tickets and additional information, call 516-889-2229...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
John Grisham (56), Mary Steenburgen (58), Robert Klein (69), Tom Rush (70), Nick Nolte (70), Ted Koppel (71) and John Williams (79)...

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until pitchers & catchers report, 6 days for Valentines Day, 13 days until Presidents' Day, 33 days until Daylight Savings Time & 40 day until spring arrives...