Decisionmark Corp. and WRAL-FM to Pilot First "Air-to-Web Broadcast Replication" Technology That Will Revolutionize the Broadcast Industry.Business Editors & Technology Writers CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2002 Decisionmark Corp.: Patented Technology Allows Local Internet Broadcast Without Copyright Infringement Broadcast Stations Broaden Listenership, Avoid Costly Licensing Agreements Decisionmark Corp., a leading provider of Internet-based broadcast industry solutions, announced today it will work with WRAL-FM radio in Raleigh, North Carolina For other uses of this name, see Raleigh. Raleigh (IPA: /ˈrɑli/, ral-ee) is the capital of the State of North Carolina and the county seat of Wake County. , to pilot its patented Air-to-Web Broadcast Replication (AWBR AWBR Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wasserwerke Bodensee-Rhein (German) AWBR Australian Women's Book Review AWBR Air-to-Web Broadcast Replication AWBR Active Window Bottom Register AWBR Academy of Wine Business Research ) technology, allowing the radio station to transmit its content via the Internet while replicating its over-the-air signal reach. The significance of this new technology is it permits any radio station to broadcast their local signal over the Internet without infringing upon copyright laws by extending the signal beyond legal geographic boundaries. Because the web listenership would duplicate that of the listeners already able to receive the signal with an antenna, it would lessen the fears of content being streamed to an unlimited audience, hence eliminating the need for additional copyright fees. The first of its kind, this pilot program will initially extend to a targeted listener audience who will be able to begin enjoying WRAL-FM from their computer beginning September 5, 2002. During this time, listeners will be asked to provide feedback to the station relating to ease-of-use, sound quality and other observations to help further enhance the listening experience. "We are excited to work with Decisionmark in proving its new patented 'Air-to-Web' technology," said James F. Goodmon, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , Capitol Broadcasting, owners and operators of WRAL-FM in Raleigh, North Carolina. "This technology is the solution to a problem that has been plaguing the broadcast industry for quite some time now. This sets the stage for us to take advantage of the Internet and keep the ears of our valued local listeners from car to desktop," Mr. Goodmon added. "Capitol Broadcasting is one of the most technically advanced and innovative broadcast companies in the U.S.," said Jack Perry, president and CEO of Decisionmark Corp. "Through WRAL-TV, they were the first station to offer a digital signal and the local newscast in HDTV (High Definition TV) A set of digital television (DTV) standards that offer the highest resolution and sharpest picture. Although some HDTV sets are available in standard (rather square) screen sizes, the overwhelming majority of sets are wide screen, which eliminates . Our Air-to-Web technology is a significant step for the broadcast industry and we are excited to be testing it with such a cutting-edge partner and look forward to bringing the remaining 13,000 radio stations in the nation back to the web," Mr. Perry concluded. The Problem: Broadcast is Local; Internet is Global Traditionally, the Internet has been a global entity, providing content to all regardless of location. What is needed is a way to provide broadcast, via the Internet, that replicates what consumers receive with an antenna. Radio streamed on the PC has come under fire from organizations such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America, Washington, DC, www.riaa.com) A membership association of music recording companies. Its goal is to promote the record label industry and protect the rights of copyright owners. It was a major contributor to the SDMI digital distribution system. ) that expect webcasters to pay royalties based on the global nature of the Internet and not the local reach of a traditional broadcast signal. In 1998 the Digital Millennium Copyright Act The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law which implements two 1996 WIPO treaties. It criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services that are used to measures that control access to copyrighted works (commonly (DMCA) was passed with provisions calling for performance royalties specifically for the recording artists and music labels. The performance rates were recently set at 0.07 cents per song, per listener and retroactive three and a half years. With tens of thousands of dedicated listeners, this amount would virtually bankrupt webcasters. The fees proposed by the DMCA exceed those typically paid to songwriters and publishers. Broadcasters currently pay under an agreement among Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI BMI body mass index. BMI abbr. body mass index Body mass index (BMI) A measurement that has replaced weight as the preferred determinant of obesity. ), the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a non-profit performance rights organisation that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating (ASCAP ASCAP abbr. American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers ), and the Society of European State Authors and Composers (SESAC SESAC Society of European Stage Authors and Composers SESAC Society of European Songwriters, Artists and Composers SESAC Space and Earth Sciences Advisory Committee SESAC Security and Stability Advisory Committee ). The fees typically average $250 annually or a small percentage of gross revenues. The DMCA also mandated that webcast royalties be set under a so-called marketplace-based deal reflecting what copyright owners would accept for licensing and what fees webcasters would be willing to pay. In addition to those fees demanded by BMI and ASCAP, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) is a performers' union that represents a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, as well as radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording artists (both royalty (AFTRA AFTRA American Federation of Television & Radio Artists ), a union that represents actors who voice radio commercials, is seeking 300 percent of their regular broadcast fee if radio stations retransmit their ads. These issues have been raised and extra money is being sought because the Internet has no geographic boundaries. The Solution: Air-to-Web Broadcast Replication (AWBR) Air-to-Web Broadcast Replication (AWBR) is Decisionmark's patented solution (patent number US 6,252,547, issued on June 26, 2001) to the problem of delivering radio content via the Internet. The goal of AWBR is to provide the technology and data that will allow audio content to be delivered over the Internet with the same copyright protections currently enjoyed by broadcast delivery. Decisionmark has proven this technology by assisting satellite carriers and broadcasters with the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act by providing an online eligibility-screening tool. This same patented technology can be used to limit transmission of a streamed radio signal to an FCC-approved signal area. Decisionmark's solution is made possible due to its signal area prediction technology and the AWBR verification process. Decisionmark also ensures that the underlying signal area data is accurate. Local broadcasters communicate signal area coverage changes via a Decisionmark software tool so that off-air and web broadcasts are ALWAYS identical. Rather than going around the broadcasters, the solution is designed to work with the broadcaster to make streaming local broadcasts on the PC a reality. About Capitol Broadcasting Capitol Broadcasting Company Capitol Broadcasting Company is a TV and radio broadcast company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Broadcast Stations Capitol Broadcasting Company owns and operates the following stations: TV
About Decisionmark Decisionmark is the foremost online software and information provider delivering to broadcasters, the most accurate and complete, real time information anywhere regarding signal coverage, reception, programming and viewers; and to consumers, the only real-time household-level online programming guide. Decisionmark is a profitable, privately held company privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. . Its web site address is www.decisionmark.com. |
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