For the past couple of months the internet site www.Cfog.net has been testing software that will allow it to stream music from Newfoundland continuously, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Cfog is also building an online, on-demand jukebox that will allow people to listen to specific selections from Newfoundland artists. What is in it for the artist: royalties from SOCAN for the use of their music, and sales as Cfog connects potential buyers with sellers of music from Newfoundland. What is in it for Cfog: just like a commercial radio station, advertising revenues in addition to a commission for connecting buyers and sellers.

I have talked with several recording artists as work has progressed on the Cfog site, and two questions have come up again and again. First: will people be able to pirate your music off of the Internet? The Cfog radio site is not an MP3 download site. The site will not distribute a digital, master copy of your recording. The Cfog site will stream your music at a quality close to FM radio and it does not download to the hard drive of a PC for playing. The second question that is asked is: will I receive royalties for the use of my music? Cfog has agreed to set aside a percentage of its revenues, which will be paid to SOCAN when its tariff application is eventually approved. SOCAN is asking internet broadcasters to pay the same royalty rate as commercial radio stations and Cfog will do just that.

A database of music from Newfoundland is being assembled. If you would like your music to be available at Cfog, then please send me your CD's or cassettes. If you do not want your music included in the database, then please contact me and I assure you that it will not be streamed from Cfog.

I don't know what the commercial potential is for an internet site devoted to music from Newfoundland, but I'm optimistic enough to invest my time and energy to find out. For the past two years Cfog has been streaming performance videos featuring Newfoundland artists. The first videos were small and jerky; the most recent are full screen and smooth. The audio quality has also improved markedly. Though we have not promoted the test stream, please visit www.cfog.net and click on the "Internet Radio" button and then the button that says "music from newfoundland. . .all the time". I think you will find that the quality is very good.

I spent most of my broadcasting career with CBC Radio. I had the pleasure of working in arts programming as well as current affairs. I remember when FM radio arrived in Newfoundland and began taking listeners away from AM radio. What we are witnessing with internet radio today may be the beginning of another shift. I intend to be part of it and I hope you will join me. Your comments, questions, and advice are most welcome.

Regards,

- Roger Bill
(579-3200)
www.cfog.net