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Published on June 26, 2007 By qrush In WinCustomize News
The future of Internet Radio is in immediate danger. Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). Today is the National Day of Silence for many internet radio stations, to remind listeners to take action and tell their representatives how they feel about this.

Please call your congressman/woman today and help save Internet radio by asking them to support the Internet Radio Equality Act!

This page will allow you to enter your zip code and find your representatives' contact information:
http://www3.capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/issues/alert/?alertid=9738601

More information on the issue and the Internet Radio Equality Act here:
http://www.savenetradio.org/
Comments
on Jun 26, 2007
As an avid user of Pandora I've contacted my congresscritters and told them that this royalty rate hike is crazy and that I cannot support anyone that supports it.

From the savenetradio link above:

On March 2, 2007 the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which oversees sound recording royalties paid by Internet radio services, increased Internet radio's royalty burden between 300 and 1200 percent and thereby jeopardized the industry’s future.

At the request of the Recording Industry Association of America, the CRB ignored the fact that Internet radio royalties were already double what satellite radio pays, and multiplied the royalties even further. The 2005 royalty rate was 7/100 of a penny per song streamed; the 2010 rate will be 19/100 of a penny per song streamed. And for small webcasters that were able to calculate royalties as a percentage of revenue in 2005 – that option was quashed by the CRB, so small webcasters’ royalties will grow exponentially!


Please take a look at the myth/fact page, see what's going on, and call someone. Calling is much more effective than email. And make sure you tell your congresscritter that you can't support them if they vote for this. That gets through to them.

If you don't listen to internet radio, trust me and make a call for those of us who do. This can be one of those times when you will be able to look back and say, "I changed the US for the better." "*We* the people" and all that, right?

on Jun 26, 2007
Done.

 
on Jun 26, 2007
Related:
Check out what Yahoo is doing
Some background from FindLaw
on Jun 26, 2007
I think the reason it's such an issue is because it's so easily exploited. People can record it with ease. Thats why the RIAA wants money.

Without attaching a fee to it, its kind of a way to legalize copying music to other people. I could setup an "internet radio station" and stream exactly the songs my friends want to rip to MP3.

"No i'm not sharing music....I'm....running and internet radio station!"

When you think about it, there's nothing stopping someone from only streaming the compressed bits (not the audio itself) and still say that they are a radio station. Terrestrial radio and satellite radio are very legitimate...and measurable...mediums. Internet radio...not so much.

I'm certainly not in favor of a lot of what the RIAA does, and I DO NOT PAY $1.00 per song from any music service. (That's just stupid!) However in this case, it helps to close a loophole i think.
on Jun 26, 2007
The Hank Williams Museam support net radio and thinks this is garbage too!


Friday, June 22, 2007 A Note of Support from the Hank Williams Museum - Beth J. Birtley

Dear SaveNetRadio Organizers,

I am the curator of The Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery Alabama. We have been open for eight years showcasing memorabilia and artifacts of Hank Williams and what he has meant to Montgomery and Country Music. I have a close working relationship with Hank's family, as well as fans from around the world.

January 1, 2007, 54 years after his untimely death, Hank Williams is still recognized not only in his hometown of Montgomery, but throughout the world. He lived and felt the material he wrote and left a testimonial of his life in the songs he created. Hank was a young man with talent beyond reach who gave the world more hit songs than any other country music star. His passion for music led him to become not only a musical genius, but his rare talent would go on to become an international legend and a cornerstone in the world of music.

The Hank Williams Memorial Foundation Montgomery was established to promote and protect the memory of this great songwriter and entertainer. The purpose is to keep his music in the hearts of country music fans worldwide.

In keeping Hank Williams' music and vast influence alive, we wholeheartedly support Internet Radio for its contribution to the music industry. One needs to understand the importance of Internet Radio. It is one of the most effective avenues we have for out-reach to the younger generation. It allows them to learn an important part of music and cultural history while at the same time allowing others the opportunity to recapture memories.

Best Regards,
Beth J. Birtley, Manager Hank Williams Museum 118 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104
posted by savenetradio  # 8:34 AM

on Jun 26, 2007
RIAA can simply kiss my ( | ) cheeks.
I'm not a music pirate and I'm tired of their arrogance and greed. I refuse to buy any CD's as well.
I'm not an Internet Radio user but I would fully support shooting this asenine attempt down.
on Jun 27, 2007
I don't know about others, but I don't record anything off internet radio. In almost all cases, the sound quality is too low for my tastes. Even with the advances in bitrate compression, it doesn't compare to CDs or high-bitrate MP3s, WMAs, or whatever the heck ITunes uses.

This is all about control. The RIAA is a dinosaur that refuses to change with the times, and they want to keep whatever power they have, and grab more whenever they can. If these fees go into effect, more power is what they will get.
on Jun 27, 2007
Not to sound like a kook, but if we let the archaic media types and other organizations, diminish the growing abilities and legitimacy of the Internet, then we have lost. Every time the media paradigm shifts the previous media moguls try to marginalize the up and coming front runner. Here we have a prime example. Additionally some folks can remember when Digital Tape Recorders first came about, same song, same dance.VCR / Betamax Same song, same dace. Laser Disc, well you get my point. We are seeing the same kind of thing in the newly growing Digital Radio deployment, this is terrestrial radio as well, only of digital quality. We are also seeing attempts to marginalize bloggers, as not being the same caliber or importance as news, TV and Radio reporters. It's a slippery slope. Couple this with the abuses of the Copyright, and the sellout of the intent of copyright, to the lobbyist, and media industries, we are allowing Media America stagnate their offerings to the American populace. Need proof??? How many Sequels to a movie do you need to see? How many rehashes of shows from our youth do we need to see?

While the ability to maximize a content producers monetary reimbursement has grown, how much of the growing revenues sources are actually making it to the producers, or is being sucked up by the Media Monsters Organizational bodies?
on Jun 27, 2007
Not to sound like a kook, but if we let the archaic media types and other organizations, diminish the growing abilities and legitimacy of the Internet, then we have lost. Every time the media paradigm shifts the previous media moguls try to marginalize the up and coming front runner.


Ifyou DONT want the media types and other organization embrace the medium....you might as well get into Ham Radio as a hobby.
on Jun 27, 2007
Done! This is potential/imminent bad news, whether one listens to internet radio or not. (I do).
on Jun 28, 2007
Unfortunately Amateur Radio has it's own kettle of fish to worry about.
The User base has eroded to a shadow of its' former days. Increased solar
activity is effecting the spectrum. Not to mention the wholesale auctioning of
the spectrum, and Broadband over Power Line corruption. Granted the FCC has introduced
the new license types, to try and stave off the attrition rates. My worry on the
Ham front is, how long before it is deemed a homeland Security threat, and abolished,
curtailed severely, or eliminated.

I was actually referring to the Audio Home Recording Act [for Digital Audio Tapes]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Home_Recording_Act
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/196204/music-copyright [for Juke Boxes]
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/001355.php {for Player Piano]
on Jun 28, 2007

If you're a Ham check out VK3DEK

He's been in the game since WW2, from Enigma to geriatry...