Sunday, November 8, 2015

Negotiating Techniques

Viewing a few videos I have focused on an overview of different strategic negotiating techniques. The Voluntary Life Podcast had a series on entrepreneurship. The “Entrepreneurship Part 7: Negotiation” episode focused on the different segments in the negotiation process. One focus that was explored was the B.A.T.N.A. The meaning of this concept is focusing on your “ Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement”. The B.A.T.N.A comes into play when basically you and the person you are negotiating basically can not come to an agreement to fit both parties needs, so in essence you should have a back up plan and this is what you will call the “B.A.T.N.A.”. This will help me in my entertainment business especially when I need to go to investors. By learning this technique I have already formed a few B.A.T.N.A’s in the event that the investors and I can not come to an agreement. Another video I viewed was from Stan Christensen “ The Art Of Negotiation”. This whole speech covered numerous topics of negotiation. One that I am picking out from this talk is objective criteria where he is giving this lecture to a class. Objective criteria focus information that is relevant to the negotiations but are independent from the parties that are negotiating . This video spoke on Stan experiences with other nations and negotiation tactics. Even though this did not focus on the entertainment industry I still learned how I can further my research to support my views that I have in my business plan. It makes absolute sense to have an objective criteria set in place because it will show how verse you are in your industry and the time you put in to achieve the overall picture supporting your vision. The third video I watched was from the Stanford Graduate School of Business called “ Conducting Effective Negotiations”. One topic that was covered in this class lecture was “Positional Bargaining”. The professor was speaking on textbook material but brought it to a real life point of view. Positional Bargaining basically is focusing on the sole purpose of your point of view in the negotiating. I learn that as long as I stay on point in any negotiation that I will be fine in getting my point across. If I keep my focus on one point in what I am trying to negotiate instead of being all over the place I can be sure that I can have the other party stay focus on my point of view and most likely be on my side. Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWSGF7GR0FM “Entrepreneurship Part 7: Negotiation” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKFElV8tS48 “ The Art Of Negotiation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCmvMDrCWjs “ Conducting Effective Negotiations”.

Friday, October 2, 2015

A Better Streaming Deal For US Artists ?

As of September 23 it seems that the major record companies and SAG-AFTRA have came to an agreement that will help artists out. The members of SAG-AFTRA who are about 160,000 members strong will now receive more benefits and possibly receive more cash from the labels streaming royalties. As I was reading this I became excited that this happened. I am a very strong supporter of Artist Rights especially when it comes down to paying artists their fair share for their art. SAG-AFTRA voted to ratify the Sound Recordings Code for online streaming and non-permanent digital downloads. Outside the US where artists may perform the money generated is covered. They separated certain allowances for label contributions to artists Health and Retirement savings. The labels involved Sony Music Entertainment , Warner Music Group, Capitol Records LLC and Hollywood Records Inc. and for SAG-AFTRA representing them were Dan Navarro, Jon Joyce, Janice Pendarvis, and Pat Alger. As reported by Music Business World Wide some benefits in the new contract included an overall increase to minimums of 2% each year of the contract, improvements to Health and Retirement contributions such as increases in cap of label payments for roster artist health insurance eligibility. The reason this move is such an important factor is because it will strike other sectors of the music industry to move and work together in fairness and transparency across the board for the artists. Streaming has taken control over the music industry. It is a new revenue stream that seems completely one sided. The labels and the technology companies are making money while the artists and other content creators are getting basically scraps. The music streaming business model needs a serious complete change. It is steps like the one that was taken a few days ago that will help bring a voice and change to the industry, so all may thrive.
( via musicbusinessworldwide.com ) Reference: http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/major-labels-agree-to-better-streaming-deal-for-artist-group/

Sunday, September 6, 2015

View on "The Music Wars" by TED Presenter David Pogue

  The Music Wars by TED speaker David Pogue are one of my favorite TED Talks presentation. Although very short it was very informative if someone never new there was a music war going on.  Music and the music business as a whole is my passion. I am consumed by the very nature of everything it is endured by. This TED Presentation was very interesting, as stated before this was a short presentation. Short but very creative. David Pogue the presenter , made a song explaining at that time period the initial start of what is now known as the “music wars”. He played and used the instrumentals “Piano Man” and “Y.M.C.A.”. David sang about the ability to download songs and watch movies thanks to Steve Jobs, and how the corporations were worried about TV ratings dropping. These companies ended up making an agreement with Apple in providing TV episodes ad free to Apple’s end users. The second portion of the song sang about how the R.I.A.A. (Recording Industry Association Of America) coming down on consumers who downloaded music illegally and the fear that the music industry will plummet with the lack of CD sales. Now in hindsight of everything, well, they were correct. This presentation was done in March 2007. Fast forward to now September 2015 there are statistics showing the drop in CD sales and Download sales but a new lane has been created. That lane , well you guessed it , the “streaming lane”. A new revenue source for the music industry, a source that is not stable and started another faction in the music war. The STREAMING WARS.

   This presentation invokes the determination that I personally have in having a unified structure that can revive the music industry. A lot of it really lies upon what the majors deem appropriate, I would like to have a system that work for both sides of the music streaming industry. I would love to see what David Pogue who is a New York Times tech columnist say about the “music wars” now since its been eight years he has spoken on the subject. There is room for change and chance to save and bring back the glory of the music industry as a whole.


Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Apple Music Making A Stamp In The Streaming Wars And You Can Too.

Apple Music barely three months old has been winning in what is now being called the streaming wars. There are the big three as far as it goes with the record labels Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group. Then there are the big three within the streaming industry Spotify, Pandora, and now Apple Music. Artists should know of the many they have regarding submitting their creations to the streaming companies as well as the potential new startups that can change the game.
   Apple Music is a dual service meaning they have interactive and non-interactive services. Meaning, their non-interactive is their radio counterpart Beats 1, where the listeners cannot skip or demand music freely. Their other part of service is their interactive side where you can exactly listen to whatever you like. There are many companies sprucing up their features to attract artists but how can a new startup get involved in the wild , wild, west.

   My research in discovering alternative routes in creating a new streaming service that can help all artists and creators alike resulted in the need of  improving the business model. That is the only thing that makes sense.  Think bout it, all the streaming services do and feature just about the same services. The only ting that is unique is their business models and interfaces. Besides that there is nothing else. Also what needs to be taken into effect is that you can only do as much as the labels allow you to do. Right now what is needed is a business model that makes sense for both parties the service and the content providers. New startups should first review the current business models and then disrupt it. Currently I have a few ideas on my own to do this. Once you have your own formula , one must build upon “working application models”. From there you can become creative only as long as you have the labels backing you that this can work. There needs to be a support system on both ends. That is  how new streaming startups can survive in this frontier.


 
(via app.com)

Sunday, July 19, 2015

The State of The Music Industry Insight

     The state of the Music Industry is not what it use to be. It has forever changed. Everything has changed within it from getting your foot in the industry down to maintaining a high-end image. The biggest change that has been very noticeable and made public is the new changes in revenue. Specifically regarding the revolution of the “Streaming Industry” and the monies revolving around it. The biggest problem is the compensation of the artists, songwriters, labels, and publishers versus the revenue these streaming companies make. The business model is a shaky one, broken in my opinion. This dates back to the pay rates that were previously set by the government, which I believe, is in need of a make over. It seems unbelievable that if you have 1 million streams your compensation is a fractionof 10 percent of the revenue it brings in which ranges from $6-8K, and that is coming from Spotify. It gets worse if you are getting paid from Pandora , you will be getting a fraction from 10% of a much smaller income. For Pandora 1 million streams will bring in the revenue of $1,650. It completely does not make any sense. The factors and variables involved are very great, it matters if you are the artist, songwriter, label , or publisher. Different roles introduce different monies.

   However with all that stated, I believe the Music Streaming services we have can help rebuild and revitalize the once “Glorified Music Industry”. There is that possibility of entering a new golden era in music. With streaming we are discovering more and more talented artists all over, in a speed that traditionally didn’t exist. The streaming world opens up to the masses. You are able to have a better and greater range of Artists that you can connect with. “Streaming is here to stay”. We as a whole need to sit down and come with better terms that respectfully benefit both sides of the Music Industry as a whole.



(via WSJ)

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Music Stream Money: The Value of a Stream

  Music Streaming has become a very popular recently in the past couple of years. It has superseded   CD , and Digital sales. It has now become the peoples choice for digesting and embracing music. In fact as reported by Strategy Eye Digital , streaming in the U.S. has grown by almost 100% in the first half of 2015. Now with all that said and done, lets look at the money and the break up of a stream in terms of who gets paid and how much as reported by BillBoard.biz. View the infographic below provided by BillBoard.biz :