Thoughts on Live365

[Guest streamingnewbie]

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with the new Live365?

 

I like that they are in Pittsburgh, but don't like that they have no tele # listed.

 

Does anyone here run an Internet radio station that is fairly large and requires significant licensing?

 

How does Live365 compare?

[DJboutit]

I have read on a few Facebook groups that most people do not like new version of Live365 rules are to strict and the ad placement is dumb the only positive is licensing is covered.

[SmoothJazz]

I have been with Live365 for about a year now.

PROS:

Their streaming servers are rock solid. (icecastv2)

They cover US licensing/Royalties

You will literally pay thousands more per year to license direct to the various PRO's than going with Live365.

 

CONS:

You cannot get access to the streaming server for any adhoc reporting or use any api

You must play a minimum of 4 minutes of commercials per hour or pay 50% more for the same licensing to not play commercials.

[Guest streamingnewbie]

I have been with Live365 for about a year now.

PROS:

They cover US licensing/Royalties

You will literally pay thousands more per year to license direct to the various PRO's than going with Live365.

 

That's because you don't understand how the licensing works.

 

You pay less if anything doing licensing directly, and you won't get sued someday when the record labels wake up to how Live365 does a lot of false advertising.

 

Either that, or like 95% of Internet radio stations, you never have more than 10 listeners, in which case all of this is a moot point.

[SmoothJazz]

If you didn't want someone else's opinion why did you ask? I believe after 16 years of broadcasting, I know how licensing works.

[Guest streamingnewbie]

If you didn't want someone else's opinion why did you ask? I believe after 16 years of broadcasting, I know how licensing works.

 

Being in broadcasting has very little to do with understanding how licensing works.

 

If you run/own a for-profit Internet radio station, and you actually have listeners (e.g. thousands to tens of thousands), then you'd understand.

 

I have spoken with Live365 and with Sound Exchange, and I know for a fact that Live365 cuts corners and does a lot of unethical things that is going to get their customers (e.g. you) potentially sued some day.

 

To be honest, if you're using Live365 then that says to me you are a hobbyist and probably don't really understand how the licensing works.

 

I do understand it because I have done my homework.

 

Either way, Live365 is a con and not a direction I will be going...

[djgary72]

How rude are you? Smoothjazz knows lots about broadcasting & Licencing issues.

 

Another point i agree with you don't appear to want to listen to anyone's advice the people who have been trying to help you on here have been broadcasting a lot of years.

 

Stop being so obnoxious and you might actually get some advice.

 

Sorry it needed saying.

[Guest streamingnewbie]

@RDJUser,

 

One thing I have come to realize quickly over the last few months is that NO ONE understand licensing.

 

Back in March I asked for help with this and I heard crickets.

 

Since then I have spoken to real radio stations, station managers, program directors and head of sales, and none of them are able to articulate how licensing works.

 

I also have hands on experience talk with at least one licensing body and Live365, and I have Live365 admitting that they are cutting corners at best adn misleading people at worst. So it irratates me when I see people drinking the Koolaide and proclaiming to know.

 

If anyone here thinks that all you need is to pay $79/month in the U.S. to take care of licensing then you are a sucker. And that is based on facts, not opinions.

 

Of course, if you never have more than 10 listeners, then that is different.

 

It's nothing personal, but those are the facts...

[James]

@RDJUser,

 

One thing I have come to realize quickly over the last few months is that NO ONE understand licensing.

 

Back in March I asked for help with this and I heard crickets.

 

Since then I have spoken to real radio stations, station managers, program directors and head of sales, and none of them are able to articulate how licensing works.

 

Interesting, licensing is quite complex particularly in the online space (since worldwide licensing providers have different terms and opinions).

Local licensing is very straightforward in the US (and most other countries), which is why there aren't "one station fits all" solutions like Live365 for local stations.

 

I also have hands on experience talk with at least one licensing body and Live365, and I have Live365 admitting that they are cutting corners at best adn misleading people at worst. So it irratates me when I see people drinking the Koolaide and proclaiming to know.

 

If anyone here thinks that all you need is to pay $79/month in the U.S. to take care of licensing then you are a sucker. And that is based on facts, not opinions.

 

I know the owner of Live365 personally, and I very much doubt that he or any of his staff have 'cut corners'. It doesn't even make any sense, you either pay royalties to licensing bodies or you don't, there's no corners to be cut.

 

Fact is: If you broadcast from the USA (on a USA IP address), with listeners in the US, Live365 will cover you. Nothing misleading there. As for having listeners in other countries, that's the grey area. Licensing bodies in other countries seem to encroach on licensing requirements (e.g. a listener from the U.K requires a PPL/PRK license, even if you are broadcasting from the US). As for whether that's legally binding or not is another question, it has certainly never been challenged in a court, and is unlikely to be.

 

Funny thing is that PRS covers you globally (source), downside is, you need to be broadcasting from a UK IP address. As you can tell, it's all very complex for internet streaming. The good thing is that it's slowly adapting and changing. Go back 10 years and it would appear as a war between music licensing bodies worldwide, with emails being sent to you from licensing bodies around the world demanding you pay royalties (source: I ran an internet radio station and have plenty of those emails).

 

Either way, don't scare new broadcasters. Live365 is a great solution for an all-in-one licensing solution when broadcasting in the USA.