The 1st Shoe Drops in the Digital Music Royalties Battle…

(Weekend Edition)

The Copyright Royalty Board  will set royalty rates for the playing of product, permanent downloads and ringtones when the leaves start to turn in October but the first step in that process has already begun.  A CRB rep says agreements between record labels, music publishers and digital music providers have been made but not yet announced.  Since the CRB judges must approve those agreements before they can become final, we can only hope that we find out when the CRB does and it’s before October…

The unannounced agreements cover royalties on limited downloads and interactive streaming.  Ideally, all parties concerned can hammer out the rest of the royalty matters before that CRB meeting…

Given the import of the royalty hit that will be imposed on lots of operators who can little afford to pay those fees, no less fill their gas tanks, I hope all of those bigger operators think of those less fortunate than they are but maybe that’s asking for too much…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1893]  Debuted on this date:  The first Ferris Wheel premieres at the Chicago Columbian Exposition (6/21)…1948]  “The Toast of the Town“, soon to be known as “The Ed Sullivan Show” debuts on CBS-TV (6/20)…1951]  Gene Rayburn and Dee Finch (”Rayburn and Finch“) debut on WNEW (6/22).  The show will morph into “Klavan and Finch” when Rayburn becomes a TV game show host and Gene Klavan replaces him…1975]  “Jaws” premieres and becomes the big summer blockbuster (6/20).  Most of the exteriors are shot on Martha’s Vineyard where the water was still freezing…1985]  The summer sleeper is “Cocoon” starring husband and wife team, Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy and let’s not forget Don Ameche who could breakdance (6/21)…
2. 1915]  The straphanger is born:  The BMT begins subway service from Brooklyn to Manhattan (6/22)…
3. 1937]  Bombs away:  Joe Louis  makes the clock strike 12 for “Cinderella Man“, James J. Braddock by taking the heavyweight title from him with a KO in the 8th round (6/22)…1938]  Same date, one year later, Louis defends his title with a 1st round KO of Germany’s Max Schmeling (6/22)…
4. 1947]  Bugsy swatted:  Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel is rubbed out, gangland style in Beverly Hills, apparently over soaring costs on his pet project, the Flamingo Resort in Las Vegas (6/20)…
5. 1963] Hotline 5-5300:  The U.S. and Soviet Union sign an agreement to set up a hotline between the two superpowers (6/20)…
6. 1964]  Oh No:  Future Baseball Hall of Famer and U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Jim Bunning, pitches a perfect game against the Mets at Shea Stadium on “Father’s Day” (6/21).  His catcher Gus Triandos  becomes the first catcher to catch no-hitters in both leagues, having done it previously in the 50s when he caught Hoyt Wilhelm’s  no-hitter (a great trivia question for you)…
7. 1969]  ‘Happy Trails’:  Judy Garland  dies from an overdose of sleeping pills at 47 (6/22)…1987]  Fred Astaire dies from pneumonia at 88 (6/22).  This guy could dance…1993]  Former first lady Pat Nixon  is a victim of lung cancer at 81 (6/22)…1997]  Lawrence Payton of the Four Tops  passes away from liver cancer at 59 (6/20)…2001]  Carroll O’Connor  dies from a heart attack brought about by diabetes at 76 (6/21)…2001]  Legendary blues singer John Lee Hooker, believed to be 83, dies from natural causes at his home in Los Altos (CA) (6/21)…2002]  St. Louis pitcher Darryl Kile  is found dead of heart disease at 33 (6/22)…2002]  Advice columnist Ann Landers  passes away from multiple myeloma at 83 (6/22)…
8. 1970]  Too young to drink but old enough to fight and vote:  President Richard Nixon signs a measure lowering the voting age  to 18 (6/22)…
9. 1981]  Guilty as charged:  Mark David Chapman pleads guilty to killing John Lennon (6/22)…
10. 1982]  Innocent by reason of insanity:  That’s the verdict for John Hinckley Jr. in the shootings of President Ronald Reagan and three others (6/21)…

Music Memories:

• 1959]  Released on this date:  “Memphis” - Chuck Berry (6/22)…1963]  “Wipeout” - Surfaris (6/22)…1963]  “Fingertips” - Little Stevie Wonder (6/22)…1968]  “Classical Gas” - Mason Williams (6/22)…1969]  “In the Year 2525″ - Zager & Evans (6/21)…1975]  “How Sweet It Is” - James Taylor (6/21)…
• 1965]  Number One on this date:  “Mr. Tambourine Man” - Byrds (6/20)…1975]  “Love Will Keep Us Together” - Captain & Tennille (6/21)…1977]  “Got To Give It Up (Part 1)” - Marvin Gaye (6/20)…

Commentary:

The Walk to cure Crohn’s & Colitis steps off at St. Michael’s College in Colchester (VT) tomorrow, June 21st and it’s not too late to enter.  You can register now at www.cctakesteps.org!  Make noise and be heard if you plan on attending.  If not, go to the website for more information.  Former WNBC Promotion Director Gibby Gibson will be walking for her late niece…This Sunday, Channel 7 in Boston will sponsor the North Shore Cancer Walk through Salem.  Walkers are asked to meet at the Salem Willows.  Paul Power will be walking on behalf of his late mother, Ruth Power.  For more information, call 866-296-6900 …

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

(6/20)  Nicole Kidman (41), John Goodman (56), Lionel Richie (59), Anne Murray (63), Brian Wilson (66),Danny Aiello (75), Martin Landau (77),Olympia Dukakis (77) and James P. Brady (85)…(6/21)  Prince William of Britain (26), Brenda Holloway (62), Ray Davies (64), Bernie Kopell (75) and Jane Russell (87)…(6/22)  Cyndi Lauper (55), Meryl Streep (59), Todd Rundgren (60), Howard Kaylan (61) and Kris Kristofferson (72)…

Timeline Countdown:  Summer arrives tonight, 14 days until July 4th and 25 days until the MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium…

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