At RedAntenna.com, we’re not satisfied with just having your music somewhere in our catalogue — we strongly believe in giving artists the exposure they deserve. That’s why we created “RedAntenna Spotlight,” an original online series that hypes the freshest music at RedAntenna. Hosted by Tam, each episode will be distributed across the Web, from YouTube to MySpace and beyond. We just wrapped up the first episode and will be disseminating it soon. Take a look for yourself:
If you’d like to appear on The Spotlight, be sure to have your music on RedAntenna.com (no registration or maintenance fees ever), and contact me.
RedAntenna Beta Launch Promo: Win a 32GB iPod Touch!
The awesome news? RedAntenna is in Beta, which means we’re open for business. Woohoo! The not so-awesome news? Being in Beta means we’re still killing bugs and working on the interior decorating.
So to encourage everyone to check us out while we’re still in Beta — and to reward those of you who read my blog — here’s a little incentive: Sign up before November 30, 2008, and all eligible registrants will be entered into a random drawing to win a 32GB 2nd Generation iPod Touch. Plus, signing up lets you claim that you discovered RedAntenna before we were world famous. Sound good to you? Then sign up now!
As a consumer, I love low-priced music and the option to buy only the songs I want, not entire albums. But there’s a new problem…
I’m a fan of funk music from the ’60s and the ’70s, but before the Internet revolutionized music buying, I had to buy entire compilation albums of classic funk hits just to get the songs I wanted. While this let me discover some new artists and songs, it also meant that I had to pay for the same James Brown tracks again and again, since the Godfather of Soul appears on almost every funk album in the universe. It also meant that I wound up paying for some songs of dubious quality that had been snuck onto the album as low-cost “filler.” Now, with the Internet, I’m able to expand my collection one track at a time, and I’m still discovering new music thanks to recommendations of other users.
So what’s the problem? Fixed pricing. I have to side with the record labels in demanding flexible pricing for songs. Concert tickets aren’t all set at the same price — why should a brand new hit single in high demand cost the same as a 40-year-old track that only a few collectors like myself would want?
And why should all songs be set at 99 cents — less than the price of Coke at McDonalds? If we demand that our favorite artists be creative AND productive, shouldn’t they be rewarded for their moments of inspiration? The career of a popular musician is often shorter than the career of a professional athlete, and only a handful ever make millionaire superstar status. The rest struggle to meet the increasing costs of living like everyone else. If the price of a Coke can increase with the cost of living, why not the price of creative work?
As a result of the 99-cent only rule instituted by iTunes and other music sites, some record labels are now withholding singles releases, such as the hip-hop hit “American Boy” by Estelle, and forcing consumers to buy entire albums again. In this case, everyone loses. Consumers are denied choice, and some will find a way to get that single — and only that single — even if it means piracy. Since singles often serve to promote an entire album, the absence of that single in the marketplace will also hurt album sales. The emphasis on singles has encouraged labels and artists to make better overall albums, with more than a just a couple of great songs on each one… just like in the old days of funk. A return to album-only releases is lose-lose all around.
The solution? Flexible pricing. Let labels and artists charge whatever they want for a single, and let the market decide what a “fair price” is. Flexible pricing would also enable labels to charge less for older music, which could help fuel discovery and new fans for legends like the late great funk pioneer Curtis Lee Mayfield.
That’s why at RedAntenna we’re letting the music producers — artists and labels — set their own prices. They can also adjust the price based on the results they’re getting. It’s a combination of fair trade values and free market principles. And while our focus is on small labels and independent artists, if a few big labels want to market their singles through RedAntenna, we won’t complain…
This is the first time I’ve ever wished for summer to end in Denmark.
You see, for 3 months every year, Denmark is a Viking winter wonderland, buried in snow and sleet with endless nights. For another six months it’s wet and grey. Somehow, despite all this, the Denmark is “the happiest nation on earth.“ Don’t ask me to explain.
But when summer comes, it’s utterly gorgeous here — and I’m not just talking about the flowers. When that sun finally emerges, Danish women finally shed their massive winter coats to reveal the fine Nordic beauty beneath. It’s a wonder the Vikings ever left home.
So why would I want summer to end? Because when fall arrives, the beta stage of RedAntenna’s development should also end. At least we hope so. In the meantime, we’re frenetically working out the kinks and signing up musicians and moviemakers. I barely see the light of day. Summer? What summer?
By the way, I just got back to Denmark after spending a year in Silicon Valley. I loved my time in the Bay Area, and it was hard for me to go. (My move back is also why you haven’t heard much from me lately.) But with all that’s happening at RedAntenna, I needed to be here.
I’ve also had the chance to hook up with some great Danish musicians. There’s one band in particular you should know about: Cherry Harlet. Those of you in the United States will no doubt be hearing more about them — particularly since they’ll be one of the first bands featured by our show, “RedAntenna Spotlight.”
Yes, that’s something else I’m waiting for.
I know the American expression, “Good things come to those who wait” — but can all those good things hurry it up already?
RedAntenna Empowers Digital Media Content Producers to Set the Value of their Product and Eliminate the Media Mogul Middleman
Fredericia, Denmark and Palo Alto, Calif., June 24, 2008 - With the objective of providing small and independent media producers the same reach as corporate giants and introducing more alternatives to consumers operating in the mainstream, RedAntenna today announced RedAntenna.com, a digital media platform for producers, webmasters and consumers to buy and sell high quality user generated content.
Developed by Wannakey A/S in Denmark, RedAntenna provides all the necessary tools for anyone to buy and sell online media in the fairest environment to date. RedAntenna’s proprietary ShopLet widget allows users determine what they think is a fair price for their content, whether it be audio, video or podcast. This is similar to the SnoCap player in features and functionality, but SnoCap enforces one fee for all online media content that is purchased while the ShopLet allows users to set their own price for all content, and gives them the ability to change the price at any given time. Through a secure ClickandBuy account, producers can start selling their product with a marginal 7% per sale fee from RedAntenna; on average 20% less than fees demanded by larger corporations. Webmasters can transform their ad space into a powerful marketplace by selling relevant, high-quality media directly from their site, and consumers can discover, sample and buy alternative media from a source that is dedicated to empowering the creative community.
“RedAntenna is transforming digital marketplace to empower creative artists and filmmakers to regain control from major music labels and media conglomerates,” said Freddy Nager, U.S. Business Development Manager. “When I’m asked about whether or not RedAntenna will be successful, I think ‘who knew that eBay would experience that massive level of success when they first started?’ We see RedAntenna as eBay meets American Idol, with huge potential for audiences through its easy-to-use platform and democratic vision.”
RedAntenna is committed to changing the way that online media is bought and sold through innovative technology, creative vision and the fairest pricing model available. In addition to current audio, video, software and game uploading capabilities, RedAntenna plans to expand its offering into the mobile space in the future, providing the most comprehensive suite of services on the market.
RedAntenna (www.redantenna.com) is a revolutionary media buying and selling platform developed by Denmark-based Wannakey A/S (listed on First North marketplace, owned by NASDAQ via OMX). RedAntenna is designed to give small and independent media producers the same online reach as corporate media giants, providing a non-advertising based revenue stream with prices determined by the content producers and not labels. RedAntenna members can upload their audio, video, software and game content to the site and create a value for their offering, buying and selling using a ClickandBuy (www.clickandbuy.com) account. For more information please visit www.redantenna.com.
If you’re on MySpace, come check us out and see how RedAntenna would work on your MySpace profile. Musicians and music fans, add us as a friend here:
http://www.myspace.com/redantennamusic
Filmmakers and film lovers:
http://www.myspace.com/redantennamovies
Everyone:
http://www.myspace.com/theredantenna
If you like what you see, be sure to sign up at RedAntenna.com as a producer or a webmaster. If you have concerns, comments or questions, don’t hesitate to drop me an email: alh@redantenna.com.
Trying to score a free TV show or movie just got a whole lot more expensive.
Two websites that didn’t even host pirated media just got hit with a combined $4 million in fines for copyright infringement. ShowStash.net and Cinematube.net were found guilty of “contributory copyright infringement” because they collected and indexed links to illegal copies of TV shows and movies. And in the realm of piracy, ShowStash and Cinematube are small fry.
What about big notorious swashbucklers like TorrentSpy? Their fine totaled NINE figures: $110 million! That’s more than the VC funding of most online start-ups.
It just doesn’t pay to play pirate anymore. But that’s not the only reason my company, RedAntenna, insists on everyone paying a fair price for all media. While most consumers don’t feel a lot of sympathy for Hollywood studios and superstars — thanks to a century of highly public lavish living by its players — the truth is, a lot of “little people” get hurt by piracy. These include the supporting staff and cast members who depend on the studios to pay their not-so-lavish bills, to the individual artists whose creativity and hard work make the movies and TV shows desirable in the first place.
At RedAntenna, we want to extend that consideration to all artists, not just the ones lucky enough to get a part on a major movie or TV show. We set up our marketing platform so that ALL artists can set their own prices and keep the lion’s share of the revenue. We also want consumers to feel connected to the artists who create the media they enjoy. We know that most people wouldn’t feel good stiffing a waitress on her tip, and we hope that feeling carries over to artists of all types, from musicians to filmmakers to programmers. By combining free market principles with fair market values, we hope to create a culture that drives the pirates out of business — without the need for multi-million-dollar fines.
I don’t know if they’re reading my blog, but they’re certainly reading my mind.
In April, I complained about all the commercials during primetime TV broadcasts in the U.S. (see my post, “The Difference Between Heroes, Heroes and Heroes”). Of course, I’m not the first to make that complaint. Anyone forced to watch “free” TV these days probably says the same thing during one of the many commercial breaks — including some Fox TV executives.
Last week, Fox announced that it is reducing the amount of commercial time during two highly anticipated new shows, JJ Abrams’ “Fringe” and Joss Whedon’s “Doll House.” Here’s what was reported in the L.A. Times (16 May 2008):
The gambit, which Fox dubbed “Remote Free TV,” means that the actual entertainment portion of an hourlong program will increase to nearly 50 minutes. Commercial and promotion time will shrink to about 10 minutes from 18 minutes an hour.
Fox executives said the shift came in response to annoyance among viewers at the heavy commercial load in popular prime-time shows. The network believes that if there are only a few 30-second spots per commercial break, viewers might be less tempted to flip to another channel or fast forward through the ads while watching episodes on digital video recorders.
“This is a huge risk, but we have to do a better job for our viewers,” said Jon Nesvig, Fox’s advertising sales president, who came up with the idea while jogging on a treadmill at a Los Angeles hotel. The workout-room TV was set to a cable channel that ran so many commercials that even Fox’s top ad man thought it was too much.
Imagine that: someone who works in television actually watching television like the rest of us! Even more incredible, they’re acknowledging that consumers are annoyed — and are doing something about it.
While I support their new actions, I still think 10 minutes of advertising is still too much. I would still prefer the option of paying a fair fee to watch the program commercial-free. The Hollywood executives are still resisting the idea, so perhaps we need to make more of them watch TV in L.A. hotel workout rooms.
There’s talk of Microsoft and Yahoo! possibly merging. At the same time, some American politicians are talking about media monopolies and how they’re bad for consumers.
Now we consumers could all sit back and wait for the giant corporations and the government to sort things out. Or we could change things ourselves — after all, it’s our money that keeps the media industry afloat.
That’s why I say, LET THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA REVOLUTION START NOW — and start with you.
The Internet was supposed to open the door for independent artists and media producers. While a handful of individuals found fame and fortune through sites like YouTube, most of the money still flows into the hands of the traditional corporate giants, with their multi-million-dollar production and marketing budgets. It amazes me that the marketing budget alone for single movie, such as Ironman, is greater than the value of most Web 2.0 start-up companies! How is the little guy supposed to compete against that?
The answer: by using the 2.0 tools to maximum advantage. Many bands, for example, have smartly built profiles on MySpace to showcase their images and music. Many aspiring directors have flaunted their talent with YouTube short films. Unfortunately, neither of those sites is very generous in sharing their mountains of money.
So that’s where RedAntenna comes in. I don’t want to spend too much of my blog hyping RedAntenna — that’s what the rest of the site is for — but we expressly built this company to promote independent artists and to funnel money their way. We’re even in the midst of developing a regular online show that will spotlight the hottest artists on our site.
While Microsoft and Yahoo! and the politicians argue about what’s best for the consumers, we’re actively doing something about it by enabling independent artists everywhere to “do it yourself” — and receive the rewards they deserve.
Imagine shopping for groceries in a store where everything costs $0.00. That’s right, it’s all free — as long as you watch a 30-second commercial for a new frying pan or some other product before you can put each “free” item in your basket. Out of every hour of shopping, you would have to spend 20 minutes watching ads.
Note: you’re not scoring caviar and truffles here. In order to reach as many consumers as possible, the advertisers would only sponsor products that had mass demand, like Coke or Doritos or Cheez-Whiz. Mmm, healthy. How would you like that experience?
Ludicrous But True
That sounds silly, but that’s how our “free” media markets work. You pick your item — like a TV series episode — and watch ads to pay for it. The advertisers only support the items with mass appeal, so forget that edgy, critically-acclaimed series with the no-name cast. You’re getting another star-studded version of “CSI,” and you’re gonna like it!
The Internet was supposed to change all that. But it hasn’t, really.
The Internet significantly reduced the costs of marketing and distributing media. But instead of delivering more choice, most of these great online tools and services are still focused on the same mass-produced media. On the “free” sites like Hulu and YouTube, consumers are still asked to watch ads — prerolls, postrolls, banners, or those awful overlays — in return for their junk food, I mean, media.
Another Problem
If supermarkets went that ad-sponsored route, they would attract consumers — but not the ones the top advertisers want. A consumer who’s willing to watch an ad in order to score a free Twinkie is probably not the kind who’s going to buy a new Jaguar. As a result, the advertisers in those stores would be those that appeal to the lowest common denominator, such as the too-good-to-be-true mortgage deals or miracle hair-growth cures.
Sound familiar? Those are the kinds of ads that infest the current “free media” sites. The ads are often so low quality, they bring down the entire experience. This turns off more discriminating consumers, and if those consumers don’t show up, the producers of sophisticated, eclectic media won’t, either. Consequently, the ratio of quality to dreck on YouTube is too big to be counted.
Fortunately, Consumers Want Better
There’s a positive trend happening now in grocery stores that I bet will soon carry over to media: consumers are now willing to pay extra for products that match their tastes and values.
Buying organic foods and fair-trade products has become the “right thing” to do. Many consumers are now feeling a responsibility towards the eco-system, small farmers and their own well being. Since organic and fair production costs are often higher, the products often bear a premium price, but more and more consumers are realizing that if they want something good and sustainable, they need to pay for it.
Whole Foods has profited on that trend in the world of supermarkets. HBO has profited on that trend in the world of television. Who will do it in online media?
Not iTunes
Apple’s iTunes certainly made it easier to purchase media, but the choice is still largely limited to corporate-produced music and movies. Quick, get your latest single by Mariah Carey for only 99 cents!
When consumers fork over that 99 cents, they feel little responsibility to the companies or even the artists who created that song. They don’t know where that money’s going — to Apple, to Mariah, or to the record-company CEO who’s pulling down 7 or even 8 figures. “It’s mass media, anyway, by producers who could care less about their craft or their audience, and they’re so rich, they won’t notice if I just copy the song from a friend…”
Appealing to that Sense of Responsibility
So just as I’d rather pay for organic fair-trade coffee, knowing that more of the proceeds were going to the farmer with the sustainable practices, I would also pay for brilliant media if I knew most of the proceeds were going to the artist with true talent. The “premium” would be worth it.
The key to achieving this ideal media market is to combine all that great internet technology with complete financial transparency, so that discriminating consumers know exactly where their media dollar is going. In other words, combining free market practices with fair trade values.
That’s the easy part, and it’s almost done (stay tuned for more announcements). The big challenge now is getting those discriminating consumers and those high-quality media producers on the same site at the same time.
That’s the challenge I’m facing now — and it’s one I eagerly embrace.
Sound good to you? 
