Rescue Internet Radio!

We need to pay attention to a dangerous new development for internet radio.

Emphases are mine.

Dear MonteLukast,

Rescue Internet Radio:
Sign the Petition

Online music is in danger. A recent ruling by an obscure regulatory board threatens to put independent and public radio on the Internet out of business.

The "Copyright Royalty Board" is dramatically increasing the royalties "webcasters" must pay every time they stream a song online. Public Internet radio like NPR is especially at risk.

The rules could shut down nonprofit and smaller commercial Internet radio outlets and force larger webcasters to play the same cookie-cutter music as Clear Channel. So much for new online alternatives.
The fees would be unsustainable for public radio webcasters who would be forced to significantly reduce the alternative and cultural programming they offer.

This is not just another petition. The Copyright Royalty Board isn't used to hearing from the public, so your action can really make a difference. And we need to stop them before the new charges go into effect.

Artists must be compensated for their work. But the new regulations don't even differentiate between public outlets, small upstarts, and the largest commercial companies. The proposed increase would silence many outlets that play independent artists and musical genres you can't find anymore on the radio dial.

As soon as smaller webcasters start to attract a sizable audience, the royalty costs would be astronomical -- and likely fatal. And nonprofit stations like NPR should not be forced to pay so much money that they actually fear an increase in their listeners.

Industry-wide consolidation has destroyed musical diversity and shut out independent and local artists on broadcast radio. We can't let the same thing happen on the Internet.

The Copyright Royalty Board -- or if necessary, Congress -- needs to fix the rules so that artist and musicians thrive alongside a new generation of Internet radio webcasters. Send them a message by adding your name to our petition.

Petition Text:
Internet radio provides an outlet for new artists, independent performers and endless variety of musical genres that aren't available anywhere else. The recent decision by the Copyright Royalty Board to massively increase royalty rates for nonprofit and commercial "webcasters" is a mistake. We need fair rules that compensate artists and allow a wide range of noncommercial and independent outlets to flourish online.

As Internet radio listeners, we ask you to craft rules that:

*Make a clear distinction in rates paid by noncommercial, smaller commercial, and larger commercial webcasters, recognizing in particular the unique mission of public radio webcasters.
*Reinstate a reasonable flat rate for noncommercial and smaller commercial webcasters -- the proposed rates would cripple their operations.
*Establish a fee that is reasonable for larger commercial providers -- this rate hike would be disastrous for the diversity of their programming.

We urge you to act quickly to fix these rules and protect Internet radio.

Click here to sign petition to Rescue Internet Radio.






The ruling may be recent. But its foundation is in outdated modes of the music industry that were more applicable to the 1990s than to today. The CRB's decision makes no concessions to the change of time and trends.

Guys, as far as I can tell, nobody supports this decision, except for SoundExchange. Even Clear Channel wants a rehearing of the CRB's decision.

It's not too late. But we'd better act QUICKLY. The new rules are supposed to go into effect on May 15th.

Remember: the CRB is a division of the Library Of Congress. Some senators and congressmen need to be reminded of this association. Others need no reminding at all.

(Check out the wordsmithing on the part of SoundExchange, too: "Webcasters like AOL, Clear Channel, and others want to impose low rates on artists." Wanna bet on how many of their execs are "loyal Bushies"?)

Supporting freedom of speech doesn't just mean protecting it from government abuses.
It also means do not make exercising it too expensive.

It all but killed Internet Radio at the time...an effort by both the record companies and the major broadcast conglomerates to "shake out" the little guys.

I've been involved with Internet radio from the mid 90's and see it ready to burst forth with new and interesting new technology and toys. For the "geeks" out there, AACPlus audio promises to replace MP3 with CD quality streaming on low baud rates...making streaming easier and better...and this is what the music companies are eying. Internet radio could ruin the billions corporate radio has wasted on HD Radio and Satellite and either the congolomerates are gonna control it or destroy it. It's similar to the silly games they played with file sharing...trying to "legislate" it away. It's not gonna happen since Internet radio's growth and reach is beyond that of the RIAA and the other conglomerates.

I strongly urge everyone to sign this and other petitions...the initial response has been excellent, but the battle has just been joined. This is a battle similar to the Internet Freedom movement that prevented ISPs and the large phone corporates from controlling and censoring blogs. May 15th approaches, but I suspect there will be a "stay" on the ruling if the opposition remains as strong as it is.

Thanks for posting this!

Now the poor college students have to log everything down. WHY!

And add the FCC rules on top of it all, and what you get is a limited array of music that can be played. All Rove-approved.


I've been an avid internet radio listener since around 1996. Even though I am now weening myself away from it, I strongly support keeping the RIAA menace away. And will work to keep it from forcing it's power upon the beautiful medium of internet radio. Hm. Something like that. :)

Nothing much. But a few things for those who want a general idea.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=522161&mesg_id=548205