webcasts

House of Representatives passes a bill that will protect Webcasters from royalty-related death for at least a bit longer. Also, Donald and Jasmine review the Iriver Spinn, Archos 5, and Sony B-Series Walkman. Listen now: Download today's podcast… Read more

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday afternoon passed the Webcaster Settlement Act, the legislation that lays the groundwork for Web radio stations to negotiate reduced royalty rates for the songs they stream over the Web.

The bill passed through the House of Representatives on Saturday and is now headed to the White House, where President Bush is expected to sign it.

"I'm relieved, optimistic, and grateful to our listeners," said Tim Westergren, founder of Pandora, a Web radio station and music-suggestion engine.

Webcasters have long complained that the royalty rate to stream music is too high for … Read more

Technology companies are supposed to be wide-eyed novices on Capitol Hill. I've read that they don't spread enough money around or aren't hip to the ways of Washington.

Regardless of whether that's true, this weekend saw Pandora, a struggling music service, whip up enough support among fans of Web radio to help persuade the House of Representatives to unanimously pass the Webcaster Settlement Act on Saturday, according to multiple people associated with the bill. The proposed legislation is designed to give Internet radio stations added time to negotiate a settlement with the music industry on reduced … Read more

Is there anything you can't see on the Web?

Don't answer that. I don't want to know.

I came across this press release from Friday afternoon, touting a Webcast of a cesarean section at a Wisconsin hospital next week.

Figuring that it was a first, I did a Google search for "cesarean section video." And guess what, this one can't even come close to claiming that honor.

The only twist is that the Webcast is live, which offers an added layer of tension. No clue whether that's been done before.

The Webcast is … Read more

Update at 5:50 p.m. PDT: The House actually did weigh in on the bill on Saturday, passing it unanimously by a voice vote.

Proponents of Web radio stations are predicting a very close vote in Congress on a bill that they paint as life or death.

The House of Representatives is set to vote Sunday on the Webcaster Settlement Act, which would allow Web radio stations to negotiate with the music industry for a royalty rate lower than what Congress mandated last year.

Companies like Pandora are seeking a reduced rate and say that they simply cannot afford … Read more

Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention, held on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech, ended with a Democratic presidential nominee acceptance speech by Barack Obama that left many attendees in tears of inspiration.

Obama hit on divisive subjects such as gun control, abortion, and gay marriage, as well as foreign policy and taxes. He did not mince words when he said the presumptive Republican nominee, John McCain, doesn't "get it." But his overall "change"-theme message focused on the family.

Anticipation had been building all afternoon … Read more

Want to get caught up on Democratic National Convention news without having to plop yourself in front of the TV? CBS News.com and CNET News are teaming up to offer you nightly Web-only shows analyzing the day's events, beginning with our first installment in just a few hours following the speech by Michelle Obama, Barack Obama's wife.

The Webcasts, hosted by CBS Evening News' Katie Couric live from the Denver convention, are scheduled to take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. PDT on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. They'll be followed by a … Read more

It's a dark time to be a Harry Potter fan. The book series has drawn to a close, the next big-screen installment of the hit fantasy series has been unceremoniously delayed, and scientists have announced they're getting close to a real-life invisibility cloak--hence sucking just a little bit of the Potter magic out of it.

OK, maybe that was a little melodramatic. But in case you don't have enough Harry Potter in your life, U.S. publisher Scholastic wants to help that...with an all-day read-a-thon.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of the … Read more

There appears to be relief ahead for at least some small Webcasters that balked at a new requirement to pay higher royalty rates to musicians and record labels.

SoundExchange, the nonprofit record industry spin-off charged with collecting the mandatory royalty payments, said in a Tuesday press release 24 "small" Internet radio outfits have signed agreements guaranteeing they will owe through 2010 the same rates they have paid since 1998. Others are in the process of signing on, SoundExchange said. It was not immediately clear which radio stations had already reached agreements.

Under the deal first offered in May, … Read more