Good bye Loud City

[xmusicmatt]

Loud City announced late last week of their shutdown:

"It's with a heavy heart we tell you that LoudCity will be closing down on Feb 28. After several years the team has decided to move on to other opportunities. "

http://www.loudcity.net/

 

[mbatchelor]

Hated to see them go, but was able to switch over to Streamlicensing for my station and not miss a beat. Unfortunately, I wonder how long they can hang on, too. Wonder what it was that did them in? I noticed right before they shut down they started sending me emails to start reporting monthly expenses and revenue, which they never had done before, and then poof they were gone with no warning. It was supposed to run to the 28th, but I got booted almost immediately; woke up one morning to find it not working anymore, and an email that said my iTunes listing had been removed. I managed to get it all straight after a lot of headaches; I really wish they would have handled things better then they did.

 

[xmusicmatt]

Hated to see them go, but was able to switch over to Streamlicensing for my station and not miss a beat. Unfortunately, I wonder how long they can hang on, too. Wonder what it was that did them in? I noticed right before they shut down they started sending me emails to start reporting monthly expenses and revenue, which they never had done before, and then poof they were gone with no warning. It was supposed to run to the 28th, but I got booted almost immediately; woke up one morning to find it not working anymore, and an email that said my iTunes listing had been removed. I managed to get it all straight after a lot of headaches; I really wish they would have handled things better then they did.

The site is up till the 28th but stations are going down based on how long you paid up till -- If your Anniversary date was before the 28th you'll go down on that date and not the 28th (example I paid every month on the 24th). They could have made that a little more clear in their "good bye" email but it is what it is.

They mass removed the LC submitted iTunes listings as so people could submit their stations on their own -- iTunes has strict guidelines and only the person who submitted the entry can make changes to it. [and a station can't be submitted twice].

Stream Licensing and Live365 seems to be 'it' for now.

 

[thelegacy]

just to let everyone know that since my first day of using stream licensing they've always required you 2 submit your monthly revenue and expenses. According to marvin this is a requirement of ASCAP BMI sound exchange and s. O. C. A. N.for Canada. Stream licensing is very easy and they do allow you to stream audio ads to make revenue to offset your royalty costs. I'm actually working with marvin on a beta player that might earn additional revenue. Brandon of Loudcaster was really nice to work with. But when he had to suddenly shut down loud caster with only less than a 30 day warning it made me think twice about using loud city. I'm not downing Brandon I was just worried for my own radio station. I think I made the right choice and all of you will too by using stream licensing after all Marvin runs a real over the air radio station so in my book I would trust someone who is licensed to operate an over the air radio station before I would trust any company that only licenses internet radio. It takes a lot more knowledge to run an over the air radio station then it ever would to run and internet radio station. This is why I put my full trust in marvin I'm not trying to be nasty to anybody it's just an opinion that I have I know a little bit about radio broadcasting so with that in mind I'm sure you can rest easily with Marvins company. I also think Brandon of Loudcaster for all he has done for me in the past. I can't forget his hard work either. Whatever the reason he had to shut down and there is no hatred in my heart for him. It was just my personal passion in my worries that got the better of me.

 

[mbatchelor]

So now LoudCity is saying they might remain in business after all... With how they booted me though, I doubt I'd go back; although my traffic does seem to be significantly down since LC cut me off and I switched to StreamLicensing; even though I was only off iTunes about 2 days before I was listed again. Ive taken about a 40% hit in traffic that I can only attribute to the switch, as have a couple of the other stations I work with that switched over. I think perhaps its because I could make it more clear on the website with LoudCity and could just embed their player to my page that made it easier for people to listen. I think I have that ironed out now and have made it pretty clear what people have to do to listen, and most of my listeners come from iTunes anyhow.

 

[thelegacy]

if it's any consolation to you Stream licensing is very easy to set their player to link to your website. I've had no trouble at all with that and the nice thing about it is that they do have different buttons on the site that you could use or simply just use their text link with your custom button that you make yourself either way it's pretty easy and I don't think you'll have any problems with it.