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WKCR resumes online streaming


7/4

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Sad news. It's convenient to listen on my computer, even though I'm inside the broadcast range. I'll have to dust off my rabbit ears and my receiver too!

Important update about online streaming.

"As of January 1, 2016, WKCR is no longer able to provide online programming. We are in the process of reassessing our ability to stream online and will update you as soon as possible. We regret that we are unable to provide this service. WKCR will continue to broadcast on 89.9 FM and 89.9 HD 1 radio as we work towards a long-term solution.   Please address all further questions and concerns you may have to wkcrstreaming@gmail.com             -- The WKCR Board"

I guess suspend might be a better word, but I don't know the details. I always dug their jazz and classical/new music programming.

Edited by 7/4
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Man, that's TERRIBLE news! Hopefully just a question of computer resources, absurd as that sounds given that WKCR has been streaming for well over a decade... Sometimes (often?) with TWO streams, one mp3, the other 'Real Audio'... These options were useful not only for those outside broadcast range but people at work without a radio AND they could split up their programming: music etc broadcast, some lesser sports event (that noone actually cares about but the participants & broadcaster) on one of the streams.

What I don't like-- what worries-- is the obliqueness of that statement: 'reasessing our ability to stream online...'

I was traveling last week, tried to connect to Bach fest and couldn't but just assumed it was over capacity. 

Shame this happened with Max Roach Birthday Broadcast imminent too.

***

p/s: WKCR Facebook starting to get questions / comments--

https://www.facebook.com/wkcrfm

including those upset they live out of town, happily donated to WKCR & now this...

Even with the occasionally 'difficult' relationship between WKCR Sports and the rest of the station (their jazz, classical, Americana, arts, community etc is all excellent), I can't imagine this benefits anyone so hopefully its just a bump whose announcement was poorly done.

Edited by MomsMobley
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I wonder if the answer is to be found in the issues addressed here.  Particularly in this passage:

>>

The other issue which has recently arisen across the industry was the realization that the expiration of many of the Webcasters Settlement Act agreements had significance beyond just the change in the rates. While most broadcasters were encouraged by the CRB rates that significantly decreased their per performance liability, on Wednesday, the NAB released a statement noting that the performance complement waivers that the NAB had negotiated in 2009 with the record labels, allowing broadcasters to simulcast their programming without worrying about the webcasting performance complement requirements set out in the Copyright Act for services covered by the statutory license (the license available to noninteractive webcasters at the rates set by the CRB), expire at the end of the this year. We wrote about those waivers when they were initially negotiated here. These waivers were negotiated with the major record labels and the association that represents the major independent labels at the same time as the Webcaster Settlement Act agreement reached between the NAB and SoundExchange back in 2009. The performance complement puts limits on a webcaster, requiring that the webcaster meet certain limits on what it can play – principally to discourage copying of the digital music played by webcasters. The performance complement requires that webcasters not play more than two songs from the same CD in a row, not play more than 3 songs by the same artist in any hour, and not playing more than 4 songs from the same artist in a 3-hour period.

Under these waiver agreements, commercial broadcasters can ignore the performance complement if done in the context of a simulcast of a routine over-the-air broadcast. So common radio broadcast programming practices like playing “6 album sides at six”, or a Beatles Brunch, would be permissible in a simulcast. But, with these waivers expiring this week, the NAB announced that it is attempting to negotiate extensions that will carry through during the next royalty period. (Emphasis mine--GoM) Why weren’t these waivers included in the CRB decision? Probably because the CRB does not have the right to waive the statutory obligations of the Copyright Act that set out the performance complement – only the copyright owners themselves (usually the labels) can do so. So these waivers must be negotiated directly with the copyright holders.<<

With the expiration of the waivers, WKCR's artist marathons and shows like "Bird Flight" become technically impermissible under these agreements. I'm just speculating; would be nice for WKCR's listeners if the station at least made some sort of allusion to whatever the issue is that led them to suspend webcasting.

 

 

 

Edited by ghost of miles
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Thanks for that, Ghost... & uh-oh. I wonder if this unfortunately took the station by surprise-- student management cycling in / out over the years, long-ish time 'operations manager' no longer at station-- thus the haste / terseness of the non-explanation.

fwiw, Princeton's WPRB (which has excellent classical shows) seems unaffacted--

http://wprb.com

Today's (Sunday) WKCR five-hour Jazz Profile is on Ella on the broadcast side at least they're not changing.

rhetoric sidenote: some of the language / provisions in that "Webcasters Settlement Act" is gross, to say the least; remember WKCR did TWO WEEKS of all-Duke for his Centennial...

 

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Ooof. Thanks for that, even if it is, as expected, sickening. I must withdraw the suggestion that WKCR might not have known this; seems likely they did and though they might have communicated it better, they were just fucking paralyzed by the vultures that never gava a godammn about their kind to begin (despite the immense promotion such stations-- including that of Ghost above-- do for musicians both living and dead-- but alive in their publishing.)

So to take Max Roach as an example, let's say, probably without exaggeration, that WKCR's 24 hours of Max on 10 January will present more Max that day than all other American radio stations combined... By not renewing the small, non- / low- profit webcast exception, the "Sound Exchange" (sic) is benefiting the owners of Max Roach publishing, the publishing that of non-Max tunes Max performed, & those myriad record companies that still own certain Max Roach albums precisely how?

a higher fee / % of nothing = ???

 

 

 

 

Edited by MomsMobley
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I was painting the kitchen yesterday and needed alittle inspiration and tuned into WKCR on my Squeezebox Radio to hear Jazz Profiles only to find there wasn't a stream. Tuned into WBGO as an alternative only to shut it off shortly afterwards. I will miss this station greatly. I hope they can figure some way to get the stream back up. If they need more money to continue the service, put it out there. There aren't any stations like KCR out there.

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Here is what I was told when I sent an email to WKCR. It is still an enigma as to why streaming was stopped.  

 

Dear Tom,

 

Thank you for taking the time to write us. The decision to discontinue our online stream was not taken lightly. We are aware that we are depriving many listeners of our services, and that we are operating in a world where internet radio is an incredibly important platform for stations like ours. This is why we are working to return our content to the internet. We sincerely regret not being able to share our programming with so much of our community until then. 

 

This is, unfortunately, all the information we are able to give right now, but our website and social media pages will be updated throughout our search for a permanent solution. We will also send important updates from this address to all those who have reached out to us personally.

 

Sincerely,

 

The WKCR Board

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Hardbopjazz, quoting a reply from the WKCR Board, said:

Quote

. . . Our website and social media pages will be updated throughout our search for a permanent solution. We will also send important updates from this address to all those who have reached out to us personally.

Here are some links gathered into one post.

The announcement currently at the website (26 Dec 2015): https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/story/important-update-about-online-streaming

Facebook (public): https://www.facebook.com/wkcrfm

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WKCRFM

And besides board@wkcr.org, there's the email address specified in the 26 Dec 2015 announcement at the website: "Please address all further questions and concerns you may have to wkcrstreaming@gmail.com       -- The WKCR Board"

Edited by bluenoter
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I am in the NYC area and listening to WKCR through an old radio.  I am surprised how much better the station sounds over the air as opposed to streaming.  It sounds vastly superior. 

I've been listening to the Bley and Boulez broadcasts this past week.  It is amazing how much great music these two gentlemen produced. 

Edited by sonnyhill
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4 hours ago, 7/4 said:

Just like my original post..

8 hours ago, bluenoter said:

Here are some links gathered into one post.

Just trying to collect 'em—three URLs and two email addresses. But I seem to have annoyed you, which certainly wasn't my intention. unsure.gif

I don't think I ever streamed the regular programming, but I've already missed the ability to stream the birthday and memorial marathons.

Edited by bluenoter
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On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 1:23 PM, paul secor said:

From the Times article:

“To Columbia, KCR is more a nuisance than the bearer of a great cultural legacy,” said Eric Ingram, a current D.J. and former program director.

If so, that's a sad state of affairs and a sad commentary on Columbia University.

Agreed! That said, I'm optimistic somehow the stream will return at a later date. Everyone here should make there voices heard by making appropriate contacts.

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