O consumo de música, a sua produção (e, já agora, a rádio)

"A internet alterou drasticamente a produção, a distribuição e o consumo de música. A disponibilização ilegal de ficheiros de música - ficheiros não licenciados pela indústria fonográfica e que não respeitam os direitos de autor - através de canais peer-to-peer tornou-se numa das actividades on-line mais populares em termos mundiais
De acordo com a IFPI, o índice de crescimento de downloads ilegais efectuados a partir das redes P2P tem aumentado exponencialmente. Inversamente, as receitas oriundas das vendas de música têm caído acentuadamente, sendo esta evolução atribuída essencialmente às já referidas redes, à pirataria off-line (produção e contrafacção), à conjuntura económica e à alteração dos hábitos/prioridades de consumo da população mais jovem.
Por outras palavras, as mutações tecnológicas e a insatisfação dos consumidores tornaram os modelos de negócio tradicionais obsoletos, forçando a indústria fonográfica a desenvolver novas estratégias e por conseguinte, novos modelos.
Segundo um estudo – The evolution of business models and marketing strategies in the music industry – levado a cabo por investigadores da State University of New York e da Yeshiva University, as alterações e repercussões passíveis de serem atribuídas à internet estender-se-ão, a uma escala global, não só à indústria fonográfica, mas a toda a indústria de entretenimento (cujo conteúdo possa ser digitalizado, descarregado e comercializado on-line)"
(Via Obercom).

As estratégias dos portais de música em linha

"MySpace Offers Depeche Mode, Elizabethtown Exclusives

"MySpace has recently positioned several new exclusives on its ever-growing music property. Typically, MySpace offers streaming exclusives of albums prior to their in-store release dates, exposing the releases to a large and targeted community. That is the game plan for Depeche Mode, which recently began offering an exclusive sneak peek of its upcoming project, Playing the Angel, which will be in-stores October 18th. Straying from that mold a bit, MySpace will also deliver a special podcast from Cameron Crowe, director of the new film Elizabethtown. That follows an exclusive stream of the Elizabethtown soundtrack in September.
Other exclusives are also in the offing. Hip-Hop fans now have access to the latest album from Rev Run of Run DMC, ahead of an in-store next week. Accompanying the streaming album will be an interactive video game featuring Rev, along with other content related to the artist. The new slate of previews follows recent exclusives involving Fiona Apple, Franz Ferdinand, Sleater Kinney and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. MySpace, which was recently purchased by News Corp. for $580 million, now counts a total of 500,000 band pages on its site."
(via Digital Music News)

Seis milhões e meio de iPods num trimestre

"Apple sold 6,451,000 iPods during the period, a 220 percent lift compared to the same quarter last year"

Os leitores digitais chegam ao carro!

Para muitos, o carro será no futuro o local de eleição da rádio, aquele local onde não entra(ria) mais nenhuma tecnologia, onde a rádio funcionará como meio secundário privilegiado, dando sentido ao binómio condução-é-o-mesmo-que-escuta-de-rádio.

Acontece que o carro não está obrigado a ter apenas rádio. E quer a indústria quer os fabricantes de leitores digitais de música sabem disso. Exemplo recente: O novo Honda Civic inclui não apenas leitor de AM/FM, mas também outras formas de reproduzir som (mp3, por exemplo) e um adaptador para ligar o iPod.
Depois disto, a única esperança da rádio musical é que os outros fabricantes automóveis não se lembrem de incluir leitores digitais de música nos carros... *
Fonte: http://www.honda-acura.net/plugins/p2_news/printarticle.php?p2_articleid=230

* ou então a rádio vai ter de encontrar alternativas à massificação musical...

Um telemóvel com podcasts

"Sprint cell phones can now double as digital music players for select podcasts or radio programs, thanks to a deal expected Monday between RealNetworks and the mobile company.
The two companies plan to introduce Rhapsody Radio, an offshoot of RealNetworks' online music subscription service for Sprint phones. For $6.95 a month, people nationwide with a Sprint phone (specifically, with Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Service) can sign up and listen to several different radio stations or Internet podcasts, as well as gain access to videos, music news or freestyle rap service "Beats N Breaks."
(fonte: http://news.com.com/Podcasts%2C+Internet+radio+come+to+Sprint+phones/2100-1027_3-5869836.html?part=rss&tag=5869836&subj=news)

Um rádio muito especial

Desenvolvimento deste texto "A verdadeira convergência na rádio":

"There are so many digital choices for music today that if you’re on an Internet-connected computer, just about any song in the world is a click or two away.
But the folks at Palo Alto, Calif.-based Roku think digital music shouldn’t be trapped on computers or MP3 players. They feel consumers know and love their radios and that a tabletop radio-like device that can play digital tunes of all kinds is sure to be a hit.
Thus, they’ve rolled out their SoundBridge Radio Wi-Fi music system, and showed it off at the Demofall 2005 conference here, which ends Wednesday.
The system has the form factor of an actual radio, replete with knobs and buttons and an LED readout, and as such, offers comfort to those afraid of new, unfamiliar technology. It even has a clock and AM/FM radio functionality.
But its real special sauce is the ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network and access Internet radio stations as if they were regular stations. You spin the knob and go through the various choices before selecting one, and you can even define presets. A remote control lets you browse and select digital music from across the room.
(via Digital player dresses like a radio

Outros desenvolvimentos a partir do texto "Roku lança rádio SoundBridge em Novembro", Ciberia, JC, 2005/09/24:

"Ao contrário de outros aparelhos do género, o sistema prima pela facilidade de utilização. Como um rádio normal, possui sintonizador AM/FM, mas pode ligar-se a uma rede wireless e reproduzir emissões de rádio de todo o mundo.
O SoundBridge permite-lhe aceder a playlists directamente no computador (Mac ou Windows) e lê diversos formatos de áudio digital, incluindo MP3, WMA, AIFF, WAC e formatos AAC desprotegidos. Pode tocar a partir do iTunes, Musicmatch, Windows Media Connect e Windows Media Player 10, entre outros. O aparelho obteve também certificação para funcionar com o serviço Rhapsody, da Real Networks.
O sistema inclui ainda uma ligação para cartões SD/MMC, não sendo por isso obrigatória uma ligação à internet para reproduzir conteúdos digitais.
O ecrã LCD, do tipo VFD (Vacuum-Fluorescent Display), oferece uma imagem nítida e confere ao SoundBridge um look futurista."

Perceber melhor o DAB, DRM ou FM

"As emissões digitais em DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) são efectuadas em VHF (175 MHz a 240 MHz - VHF banda III - e 1452 MHz a 1492 MHz - VHF banda L). Já as emissões em DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) serão efectuadas abaixo dos 30 MHz, precisamente na faixa onde se emite em AM"
via Jorge Guimarães Silva

Yahoo cria grande portal para podcasts

podcasts.yahoo.com

Um rádio que grava a rádio via satélite

via Digital Music News:
"Industry Applies More Pressure on Satellite Radio
The RIAA is now reportedly applying more pressure on leading satellite providers XM and Sirius. The industry trade group is continuing to ask tough questions about a new breed of satellite devices that allow users to store large amounts of live content, and is also said to be seeking a renegotiation on its initial royalty agreements. One of the devices being placed under the microscope is the Sirius S50, slated to hit stores later this month. That device cannot receive satellite reception on-the-go, but it can store up to 50 hours of satellite radio content for access later. "The music industry is an important partner, and we continue to listen to their concerns in hopes of finding a resolution that benefits everyone, especially consumers," said XM spokesman Nathaniel Brown in a recent Reuters report.
The conflict comes just as satellite radio is gaining meaningful market traction. While the format was once considered an interesting possibility, significant subscriber jumps over the last several quarters have transformed that outlook. The key issue in the upcoming negotiation will be just how much time-shifting can be considered fair use, an area that is decidedly gray at this point. For the satellite industry, which is used to pushing a boulder uphill, the latest conflict is probably being viewed as a manageable challenge. For Sirius, which is yet to release a true wearable, the discussions could push the timetable on a more advanced device."

Só que isto está a criar problemas com os direitos de autor e os ganhos das editoras discográficas:
"The record industry may next aim its legal guns at satellite radio over a dispute involving new portable players that let listeners record and store songs, an analyst and industry sources said Wednesday.
The record industry, led by major labels such as Vivendi Universal (Research), Warner Music Group Corp. (Research), EMI Group Plc and Sony BMG, believe the recording capability is a clear copyright violation and could take revenue away from paid download music services." (via CNN)

As vendas de downloads

"Single track download sales in the UK are now approaching the 25 million mark, moving from 5.7 million units in 2004 to 16.9 million sales already this year. Weekly digital track sales regularly top 500,000, and now account for 60 percent of the overall UK singles market. “Although physical single sales declined by 21.8 percent in the third quarter, single track downloads increased by 288 percent to increase the overall market by 49 percent,” the organization claimed"
Digital Music News

Uma taxa sobre os LDM para a industria discografica

A taxa iPod no IHT:
"In the United States, recording labels want a bigger slice of Apple's success in digital music by seeking higher prices on downloaded songs. Japan's music industry has a different idea: putting fees on iPods.
The industry has asked the Japanese government to charge a royalty, to be added to the retail price of portable digital music players like Apple's iPod, which has been explosively popular here. Money earned from the fee, likely to be 2 percent to 5 percent of the retail price, would go to recording companies, songwriters and artists as compensation for lost revenue from home copying.
It is a familiar story of vested interests' feeling threatened by new technologies. Like their U.S. and European counterparts, Japanese recording companies are struggling to catch up with the Internet and the advances in digital recording technology.
But in Japan, the proposed fee has also touched off an unusual public battle over the influence that industry groups here still wield over the government and economy, the second-largest after the United States.
As a powerful political lobby, Japan's recording industry expected to get its way when it first asked for the fee last fall. Instead, its proposal remains stalled in one of Japan's normally rubber-stamp government committees. Meanwhile, the media mock the fee as the "iPod tax."

A rádio musical, industria e a tecnologia

Os downloads e a musica digital são uma das maiores ameaças à rádio tal como a conhecemos.
A partir do momento em que se banalizar o acesso à música digital (que passa também pelo fim do CD), existirão milhões de leitores de mp3 (até em telemóveis) que serão concorrentes da rádio musical - por outras palavras, deixo de precisar da rádio para ouvir música.
Um recente artigo no suplemento Actual do Expresso (17/9/05) fala na tentativa da União Europeia de criar uma licença pan-europeia para a música on line: quem quiser operar um site de downloads deixa de lidar com a sociedade de autores do seu país e trata com outra entidade.
Algumas ideias do autor:
"A indústria musical só começará a recuperar terreno quando baixar o preço dos CD - ou seja, quando deixar de ser compensador o trabalho de "queimar" (isto é gravar) CD no computador", escreve LM Faria (pág. 16).
A revolução na música digital (do mercado da música em linha) está a ser atrasada pelo esforço das companhias emk bloquear na justiça sites de partilha de ficheiros. Os processos contra o Gorkster ou mesmo o Kazaa vão atrasar a evolução técnica pelo menos 10 anos.
A indústria do futuro é a indústria da música na internet.

ACTUALIZADO a 10/10/05:
"Pan-European Licensing Process Moves Closer to Reality
The European Commission (EC) will next week recommend a pan-European licensing model for online music distribution, but it is leaving the implementation to local governments and agencies. In a speech at the Creative Economy Conference in London on Friday, EC director Jacqueline Minor recommended the new proposals. She called the current system “nineteenth century,” irrelevant to the borderless 21st century internet, while stressing the need for the pan-European approach. “It is based on the premise that territory-by-territory management of copyright clearance is too cumbersome and too costly,” Minor said. “It is not efficient for content users and it does not serve the interests of right-holders who want their content disseminated as widely as possible. In a territory-by-territory model, the weakest link in the chain will hold up the quick and effective roll-out of their latest creative content.” The Commission’s recommendations will soon be dispatched to member states and relevant groups.
The progress was welcomed by many, though critics feel that a low-powered "recommendation" does not offer enough backbone. Wes Himes, director of the European Digital Media Association, an industry group whose members include Apple, Amazon, RealNetworks and others, questioned the approach. “We felt that there should be a competitive mechanism by which pan-European companies can obtain pan-European licenses for online exploitation,” Himes stated. “This doesn't achieve this. It only exerts a small pressure on member states to do so." Himes blames national rights management authorities for lobbying to have Europe’s proposals “watered-down”. In July, a release from UK rights management body MCPS-PRS Alliance typified the trend to protect local agency decision-making power. “There will ultimately be consolidation and streamlining of the licensing activities of the collecting societies in Europe, and we are supportive of this providing it leads to the value of our members’ rights being maximized,” the organization stated.
Story by news analyst Jonny Evans."

A música [não] foi à vida

Este é o título de uma notícia, do suplemento de economia desta semana, do Expresso [edição de 1/10/05].
A notícia dá conta de uma diminuição de venda de CD nas lojas Valentim de Carvalho que, em consequência, se estão a transformar em livrarias, "abandonando definitivamente o conceito de loja de música".

Acho esta decisão da VC precipitada.
É certo que se assistirá a uma desmaterialização da música, aproveitando suportes virtuais (a música «on line» ou, como li recentemente, em linha). Mas o consumo de música não vai diminuir. Pelo contrário. E é de crer que a pirataria (peer to peer) será mais reduzida com novos sistemas de controlo (de resto sempre houve cópias informais ou domésticas, desde as cassetes).

Nem todas as pessoas poderão ou quererão comprar músicas em casa, com recurso ao cartão de crédito (a juventude...). Haverá, portanto, espaço para lojas de venda de músicas, onde posso ir comprar duas ou três. A loja, obviamente, não servirá só para isso, mas é certo para mim que a música não foi à vida. A Valentim de Carvalho anunciará, daqui a alguns anos, a reconversão do espaço.

A revolução que a internet pode significar para a rádio

Da rádio virtual
("El concepto virtual implica el de existencia ficticia, no real. En física se habla de imágenes virtuales para aludir a las que se forman en un espejo. En términos informáticos se habla de realidad virtual y por avanzado que parezca cabe recordar que la literatura se adelantó a los ingenieros si recordamos el maravilloso libro Alicia en el país de las maravillas.
Al referirnos a la radio virtual podemos decir que queremos indicar una radio cuya existencia real en cuanto a personas y equipamiento técnico es reemplazada por personas y equipos de existencia virtual, es decir no real. En los últimos años la investigación se ha orientado a construir sistemas que poco a poco van completando la tecnología necesaria para producir la radio virtual")

às possibilides abertas pelas internet:
("Lo digital modifica radicalmente esta concepción de la radio, introduciendo la posibilidad de proponer programas que se pueden considerar de stock, por retomar una terminología propia de la televisión. En efecto, la multiplicidad de vías de acceso al medio permiten proponer permanentemente al público programas más especializados como:
· Las reposiciones: poco practicadas en radio, a diferencia de televisión, están por el momento reservadas a la producción de programas de noche o de períodos de verano, o de fin de semana. Pese a todo se encuentran en los sites de Internet de radio ofertas de re-escucha en el momento elegido por el oyente de los programas de la cadena disponibles bien hasta la próxima emisión (emisiones cotidianas o semanales) o de manera más estable si el objeto lo justifica. Se aproximan entonces a los dossieres, documentales o de archivo.
· Los archivos sonoros: los de las radio más antiguas hacen honor a su título con orgullo, pues escuchar la voz de los desaparecidos, el ambiente grabado en directo de los momentos históricos, los hace revivir con la misma fuerza que las imágenes, y a menudo con una emoción ,más fuerte todavía ya que requieren de antemano nuestra imaginación. Hoy las herramientas disponibles en Internet permiten proponerlos de manera activa con motores de búsqueda por palabras clave, ordenamientos temáticos o cronológicos, etc. facilitando la consulta o la búsqueda.
· Los dossieres temáticos: más próximos a la actualidad, los dossieres temáticos son propuestos por las emisoras en los sitios de Internet, movilizando la masa de información, de cultura o de entretenimiento. La radio puede tratar la actualidad de manera más completa, diversificada y sobre todo duradera, uniendo los acontecimientos que captan la atención del público. Bien entendido que la cuestión sobre los derechos de esos elementos documentales se plantea igualmente. La noción del flujo de programas se vuelve al menos esencial y no se limita por otra parte a los programas tradicionales. Muchos de los nuevos servicios interactivos deben ser actualizados permanentemente para estar operativos cuando el usuario los quiera consultar; se trata pues de la noción de flujo continuo de programas que vuelve a tomar aquí sus derechos, tanto si se trata de un servicio disponible permanentemente como si sólo se puede captar de manera casual.
· El servicio interactivo que mezcla el flujo y el stock: la guía de programas, que debe poder servir al usuario permanentemente no sólo con las indicaciones permanentes y siempre actuales sobre los programas, sino también permitirle situarse sobre los programas en curso o preparase su próxima escucha")
Aurora Garcia in Razon y Palabra

As rádios de comunidade na GB (e as de serviço restrito)

As rádios de comunidade (uma espécie de rádios de serviço público em ponto muito pequeno e com objectivos muito bem definidos) são uma experiência nova na GB. Depois de algumas experiências-piloto em 2002, 2004 foi o ano do lançamento oficial, com o licenciamento das primeiras cinco rádios (quatro em Fm e uma em OM).
“The characteristics of community radio are distinct from commercial radio in that the services will cover a small geographical area and be provided on a not-for-profit basis focusing on the delivery of specific social benefits to enrich a particular eographical community or a community of interest”
(“The Communications Market 2005” da Ofcom, pág. 52)
Mas no âmbito das rádios de comunidade, ainda na GB, podem acrescentar-se as rádios de “serviço restrito” (Restricted Service Licence”, RSL), que são rádios com potências minúsculas (em FM ou OM), quer com carácter temporário (um festival de música ou outro evento; uma campanha de publicidade) quer de longo-prazo (hospitais, universidades ou outras escolas ou forças armadas, por exemplo).

A onda média em queda na GB

Na Grã-Bretanha as rádios de Onda Média não desapareceram, coexistindo com o FM. Os números da empresa responsável pelas medições na GB (a RAJAR) mostram contudo uma queda nos hábitos (“There has been little change to the structure of the AM market during 2004, but the fall in listening to commercial AM stations has continued. Total AM listening was less than 300m hours in 2004 for the first time and the AM stations’ share of commercial listening hours fell below 15% (Figure 2.11). Since 2000 total AM listening hours have fallen by almost a third (32%)” (pág. 48 do “The Communications Market 2005” da Ofcom).
As rádios de Onda Média, que de acordo com o mesmo relatório, valiam, em 2004, 14 por cento do share de audiência (contra os 78% do FM) são sobretudo de desporto (“talksport”), mas também as há de música.

Atrasos na medição electrónica

Continua muito atrasada a chegada da medição electrónica. O relatório “The Communications Market 2005”, da autoridade britânica Ofcom, diz que a mudança do actual sistema de registo diário (a partir de uma amostra predefinida) para audiometros electrónicos está prevista para 2007. Os atrasos também se devem aos choques que a mudança vai provocar nas actuais audiências (irreais?) das rádios. “A consensus appeared to emerge from this consultation in a number of areas. In particular, «All stakeholders agree that at some point the audience measurement survey is likely to embrace audiometer methodology at least in part but that a period of introduction, education, information and careful management is vital» (pág. 44)".

Há quem diga que a rádio está a convergir

A Autoridade britânica Ofcom diz que sim:
De acordo com o relatório "The Communications Market 2005", pág 35:
"2.1.2 Radio moves into the hands of the listeners
Radio, as we noted in our June 2004 Communications Market report, has been at the forefront of convergence. Radio services are available across a variety of platforms from digital television, to mobile phones and the internet, as well as more traditional radio sets. Since last year’s report, GMG’s ejazz.com has entered the radio-on-demand arena, while the BBC significantly extended and enhanced its “radio player” – the pioneer in the UK market. On-demand services are also provided to a greater or lesser extent by other stations (e.g. Xfm provides listeners with the opportunity to listen to archived sections of some of their shows). In addition, “podcasting” has meant listeners are increasingly able to download and listen to radio on their MP3 players, where and when they want. The BBC, by extending its download trial recently, is getting increasingly involved in this area.
Multimedia and interactivity are increasingly becoming part of radio. Emap’s Channel Hopper, the BT Livetime service (due to launch later in 2005) and GWR’s “Hear it, buy it burn it” service are examples of new ways in which traditional radio and radio spectrum are being used to deliver listener benefits, and ultimately additional revenue.
However, although products such as the Reciva internet radio (which utilises WiFi and broadband connections) are coming onto the market they are not common, and most radio listening remains broadcast rather than internet based. DAB digital radio is the only widely available digital platform currently offered in the UK that allows portable reception (although DRM, broadcast from mainland Europe into the UK may launch later in 2005). Sales of DAB sets received a major boost during 2004 with total cumulative sales almost trebling from the 470,000 set sales at the end of 2003 to 1.4 million, raising household penetration of DAB sets to 5% (Figures to the end of March 2005 show total sales to date of 1.5 million sets. Source: DRDB).
Usage of all of these innovative services is growing. The BBC announced in February 2005 that 4.4 million hours of listening was to its on-demand services, while for commercial radio stations, 8.3% of all listening was to digital-only stations (1) by the end of 2004.
(1) Including digital listening to analogue stations outside their analogue areas (Source: Rajar)

Já nas páginas 40/41 encontramos mais informação sobre a capacidade da rádio integrar outras plataformas:
“Continuing the trend reported in last year’s Communications Market, the radio industry continues to be at the forefront of convergence in the communications sector. This is happening in a number of ways:
• Radio listening is increasing on digital platforms – digital TV, the internet and DAB digital radio
• There is a move away from live radio consumption through the use of “listen again” Internet services, such as the BBC’s Radio Player, “podcasting” and DAB receivers with built in pause, rewind and recording facilities (the first such receiver, “The Bug” was launched during 2004)
• Multimedia services which complement existing radio programming and enable new revenue streams are being developed and are due to launch this summer. These new services will develop against the backdrop of increasing DAB take up in the UK, the digitisation of the AM bands in mainland Europe, and industry initiatives to protect digital rights”. "

Perder os ouvintes mais novos

Aqueles que fazem a rádio, seja como proprietários, directores, produtores ou consultores, começam a preocupar-se com a perda dos ouvintes mais jovens, sobretudo na área musical, e com o alargamento da concorrência a outras faixas etárias.
Esta citação de Gui Zapoleon, consultor e estratega do negócio da rádio nos EUA, não deixa margem para dúvidas:
"It’s time broadcasters got back to addressing the needs of the listener, make programming/marketing a much bigger line item in the budget, and concentrate on brainstorming unique ways to make this medium exciting and innovative again. If we have any hope of attracting under-30 listeners who have fallen in love with their iPod and the Internet, we are going to need to "re-launch" radio and stock it full of more compelling content and talent, or we face a bleak future for the industry we all love.

pela primeira vez uma musica vende um milhão

Gwen Stefani Track Crosses One Million Downloads
October 4, 2005

Digital music has achieved its first million-selling single track — Gwen Stefani's“Hollaback Girl”. Taken from her debut album, titled Love. Angel. Music. Baby., the track has achieved over one million download sales since its debut last year. Sales of the track are currently running at about 15,000 per week, spurred by a highly accessible and catchy musical approach. UK music magazine NME last year described the album as “one of the most frivolously brilliant slabs of shiny retro-pop anyone's had the chuzpah to release all year.” The single has been selling through digital outlets like iTunes, MSN, Napster, Rhapsody, Wal-Mart, MusicMatch, and Sony Connect.
Other formats are also selling well. The track is ready to cross the million-mark in master ringtone sales, a growing market for labels. Reflecting CD sales only, "Hollaback Girl" hit number one on the US Billboard Pop chart and crossed into the top ten on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts. The album is now a certified triple platinum release. "Gwen is one of the most forward-thinking and innovative artists in music today. That she would make history with digital downloads just emphasizes her role as a leader in so many ways for a new generation and for music,” said Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine. “The music industry is changing and this is a major sign that digital downloading has reached the mass market and become a very significant business."
Story by news analyst Jonny Evans.