Clear Channel Patents Instant Live Recording

From: http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Apr/1029755.htm

BOSTON --(Business Wire)-- April 7, 2004 -- Instant Live(TM) captures and preserves the sound and excitement of the live performance delivering concert recordings to fans immediately after the show

Instant Live LLC today announced that the company has acquired the U.S. Patent and continuation for the business method of creating and distributing digital concert recordings contemporaneously at events. The patent covers all media. Based on an application filed in 2000, the Patent is the first ever issued for the on site creation and distribution of recordings of live events.

Instant Live LLC records, duplicates, packages and sells live recordings of musical artists to fans immediately following the concert. CD's are delivered to fans within 5 minutes after the end of the show. Instant Live(TM) debuted last year in clubs and theaters in the Northeast, toured with national acts and has recently announced the expansion of its operational base.

We are extremely pleased to be the owners of this recording and distribution business method, said Brian Becker, CEO of Clear Channel Entertainment. Instant Live(TM) is one of several exciting new initiatives. We are committed to continuing to grow our company in artist and fan friendly endeavors.

Steve Simon, Executive Vice President of Clear Channel Entertainment's Music Division and the Director of Instant Live(TM), said, We are dedicated to the growth of the format. We would like to make the contemporaneous recording business as inclusive as possible and attractive to all artists. It represents a great opportunity for established acts to deliver something special to fans while enhancing their revenues. It also enables less established acts to make and distribute high quality recordings and generate additional revenue without incurring expenses.

The acquisition covers U.S. Patent No. 6,614,729 issued on September 2, 2003 and includes a continuation patent application number 10/624,077. The Patent has a priority date of September 26, 2000. The patent acquisition will make the Instant Live(TM) business method fully proprietary and adds to its existing intellectual property.

Instant Live(TM) was introduced in February 2003, in Boston and offered music fans an opportunity to purchase a CD recording of the concert they just attended before they left the venue. Instant Live(TM) concerts are recorded using state-of-the-art technology, including a combination of ambient microphones and feeds from the soundboard. By summer 2003, Instant Live(TM) was recording the legendary Allman Brothers Band and popular jam band Moe. in theaters and amphitheaters across the country. Instant Live(TM) will soon be announcing plans for digital distribution and the Summer 2004 concert season. Plans for on site digital distribution are in the works.

Instant Live was just wildly popular in the Jam Band scene, especially moe. Within a few years, it could virtually eliminate the need for boom mikes and taper sections. I mean, just look at all these shows; there's no way I could possibly tape them all. Now, I won't have to!

My summer show callender:

4/15: Phish, Las Vegas
4/15: Jennifer Hardswick, Las Vegas
4/16: Phish, Las Vegas
4/16: Umphrey's McGee, Las Vegas
4/17: Phish, Las Vegas
4/17: moe., Las Vegas
4/26: Dark Star Orchestra, Albuquerque, NM
4/27: Dark Star Orchestra, Albuquerque, NM
6/6: Gov't Mule with Col. Bruce Hampton, Vail, CO
6/11 THROUGH 6/13: Bonnaroo Music Festival, Manchester, TN
6/20: Leftover Salmon, Taos, NM
6/29: Rush, Red Rocks, CO
7/9: The String Cheese Incident with The Allman Brothers' Band and Chris Robinson's New Earth Mud, Red Rocks, CO
7/10: The String Cheese Incident with The Allman Brothers' Band and Chris Robinson's New Earth Mud, Red Rocks, CO
8/23: The Dave Matthews Band, Albuquerque, NM

Coudn't stop watching his avatar long enough to read the post. What did it say? 😛

Now that I have a few minutes to explain, I didn't mean to post that as good news. While I do really like the fact that you can get a CD of the show within minutes, the fact that Clear Channel has gone and freakin' patented the technology makes me want to break things.

To those who don't know, Clear Channel (already under investigation for being an illegal monopoly) is the nation's largest broadcaster and concert promoter and owns more than 100 concert venues (all the big ones in the country, more or less).

There are a number of bands out there who already do their own variation of Instant Live. But now, those WHORES at Clear Channel can and will block these artists from using their own equipment to do this at Clear Channel-controlled venues. If you want to pick up a CD of the show you just saw, you will be informed that Clear Channel does not allow the venue to burn and sell any live concerts unless the band rents CC's equipment and uses their Instant Live process. And they can charge whatever they want. Bastards!

Here's a link to the patent if anyone is interested:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,614,729.WKU.&OS=PN/6,614,729&RS=PN/6,614,729

And if anyone cares about this as much as I do (the salon articles are pretty informative):

http://www.boycott-clearchannel.com/

http://www.free-the-music.net/evil.html

http://archive.salon.com/ent/clear_channel/2001/08/08/antitrust/

http://www.salon.com/ent/clear_channel/

http://www.infoshop.org/clearchannel.html

EDIT: FYI, Player420: All those venues above are owned by Clear Channel or one of their subsidiaries.

I can't help it! I am a music whore and Clear Channel is my pimp. I hate them, but I have to go back or else I won't get my fix! 🙄

I know what you mean, man. Fortunately for me, Clear Channel doesn't own anything in Seattle. Yet. I don't know what I'm going to do if that ever changes. Maybe move to Sweden.

And you're not the whore, dude. Clear Channel is the whore, as per my rant above. You're just a John. 😀

Poison, first, I love your avatar. Second, I coulndn't agree more. The Clear Channel gestapo already took over San Diego, although J-corp is still fighting. It seems that corporations are becoming bigger and bigger- thus removing our choice as consumers because any brand we buy or channel we listen to is all the same corporation. I start to feel like the world is more ran by corporations than governments. 50 years from now the CEO of Microsoft will be the "leader of the free world".. if not already 😲

Originally posted by saintnick
Poison, first, I love your avatar. Second, I coulndn't agree more. The Clear Channel gestapo already took over San Diego, although J-corp is still fighting. It seems that corporations are becoming bigger and bigger- thus removing our choice as consumers because any brand we buy or channel we listen to is all the same corporation. I start to feel like the ...[text shortened]... years from now the CEO of Microsoft will be the "leader of the free world".. if not already 😲

Yes, Clear Channel, is a whore. Look what they did to Howard Stern. Used him all these years and now they're all sanctamonious because of Janet Jackson and not wanting to get fined. 😠