Issues

Featured Issues and Campaigns

The Future of Digital Infrastructure for the Creative Economy

Future of Music Coalition; National Association of Media Arts & Culture; Fractured Atlas

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Every member of the arts community has been impacted by the unprecedented challenges and opportunities proffered by technology. This paper briefly examines some of the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital era, and also suggests how the development and maintenance of certain digital infrastructure is critical to a successful and resilient 21st century arts and cultural sector.

Music On Our Terms

Net Neutrality lets artists and fans connect on the web

Jean Cook

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

There’s been no shortage of talk lately about Net Neutrality, with everyone from Jon Stewart to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski discussing the future of the web as we know it. I wanted to take a minute to talk about why Net Neutrality is so important to the creative community, particularly musicians. read more

New Business Models

...and how musicians, labels and songwriters are compensated

Kristin Thomson

Thursday, October 8, 2009

In 2007, I was invited to McGill University to guest lecture at a cross-disciplinary class taught by producer Sandy Pearlman. Since the students had been tasked with designing a workable new music-related business model for their final project, I decided to put together a presentation that focused on the back end of the music business model: how performers, songwriters and labels were each compensated when their music was either streamed or downloaded. read more

Guess Who's Invited to the White House?

August 5, 2009

Jean Cook & Casey Rae-Hunter

Since Barack Obama’s inauguration, many in the arts community have pondered what the change in leadership might mean for our field. It’s clear that the new president has some interest in musicâ€”he’s got Jay-Z on his iPod and even handpicked “long, strange trippers” The Dead to play at the Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball in D.C. But looking past the meeting of tye-dyes and power ties, what does this mean for cultural policy?

This article originally appeared at NewMusicBox.com read more

FCC Nominations Hearing: July 15, 2009

Shayne Wagman

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

On July 15, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing for Federal Communication Commission (FCC) nominees Mignon Clyburn and Meredith Atwell Baker. President Obama nominated Clyburn and Baker to fill two vacant FCC Commissioner positions. The FCC has five Commissioners, only three of which can be from the same political party; the party of the current administration constitutes the majority. Clyburn, a Democrat, and Baker, a Republican, will be replacing outgoing Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Debi Tate, respectively. (Later in the week, the Senate confirmed Clyburn and Atwell.)

Official Filings

As part of our mission to make sure that artists' and musicians' voices are not left out of the policy debate, FMC regularly prepares and submits public comments, documents, and testimony to the appropriate rulemaking bodies. In these documents, the FMC strives to inject the debate with information about how policies can affect artists and the public at large.

July 26, 2010

FMC 2010 Media Ownership Review Reply Comments

A response to Clear Channel comments in the FCC's quadrennial review of media ownership rules

On July 26, 2010, Future of Music Coalition filed reply comments in the Federal Communications Commission’s 2010 Media Ownership Review proceedings. Our statement in the original comments phase were filed on July 12, 2010, and can be viewed here. [GN 09-182]

Our reply comments are in response to broadcasting giant Clear Channel’s previous filing, which claims that consolidation in radio station ownership has resulted in greater diversity in programming. FMC’s response includes data from our widely cited 2006 study of rampant consolidation in commerical station ownership following the passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. We measurably demonstrate that “format diversity” does not equal “programming diversity,” and point to clear evidence that the interests of local communities are better served by station groups that operate well under the allowable ownership caps.

July 15, 2010

FMC Comments in the FCC's Broadband Legal Framework Proceedings

Musicians and other creators depend on open internet platforms and access to broadband technology

On July 15, 2010 Future of Music Coalition filed comments in the FCC’s Notice of Inquiry in the Matter of a Framework for Broadband Internet Service.

In this proceeding, the FCC is soliciting the perspectives of stakeholders and the public as it considers a “reclassification” of broadband internet service to a different Title of the Telecommunications Act. A new regulatory approach is being evaluated due to a court decision that invalidated the Commission’s previously held legal assumptions regarding its statutory authority over the internet.

Without regulatory clarity, the FCC is unable to prevent discriminatory practices by Internet Service Providers. It also limits the Commission’s ability to implement key provisions in the National Broadband Plan meant would bring affordible, high-speed internet service to underserved American communities.

Our comments demonstrate how musicians — as well as other creators and arts groups — depend on open internet structures to reach potential audiences, grow their businesses and continue enrich our culture. We also cite the availability of broadband service as key to a sustainable 21st century music ecosystem.

For more information on FMC’s perspectives on internet policy, see our Rock the Net campaign.

More Official Filings

Fact Sheets