Please give this a read and pass it on

[Drunkensatyr]

I WISH this was just a friggin B.S. hoax, but feel free to look this one up on your own. THIS IS REAL and this is really going to CLOSE DOWN MOST INTERNET RADIO STATIONS! all I ask is that you take a few minutes to read about what is happening and if you agree, PLEASE SEND A MESSAGE TO YOUR HOUSE REP AND BOTH SENATORS!

If you go to Radio Nigel there is a link to help you find and email your Rep and Senators. 5 minutes of your day can help save Internet Radio!

"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!). If the increased rates remain unchanged, the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. Internet radio needs your help! The Internet Radio Equality Act has recently been introduced in both the House (H.R. 2060) and Senate (S. 1353) to save the Internet radio industry. Please call your senators and your representative to ask them to co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act"

 

[rdwj]

Just in case anyone is on the fence, this is ABSOLUTELY true. Sites many of us love, like Pandora, won't be around for much longer when this happens. I don't think there is much that can be done at this point, but it's just further proof how much the music industry sucks.

 

[Drunkensatyr]

Well, I try not to have the "it's too late attitude". If this law can be passed by the 15th of July, then business should go on as normal. this IS possible, just takes a little convincing to make it a hot issue.

 

[WOP31]

I am not much of an iternet radio user but I am with you guys. I wrote both of my senators and my Rep. if anyone is wondering what to write to them here is a simple to the point statement that should convey the point.

I am writing you today to urge you to vote into law the, Internet Radio Equality Act. I feel that the CRB and the Music industry are pushing unfair restrictions and royalty rates onto internet radio stations. Please vote in favor of this act and urge your fellow senators to do so too. This needs to be done and fast as the new rates and restrictions go into effect on the 15 of July. If The Internet Radio Equality Act is not made into law it will drive out most internet based radio stations and force them into bankruptcy.

Please help save internet radio, i have just found the joys of it and would hate to see it be dismembered because bigwig in the recording industry is getting greedy.

Cheers

 

[Drunkensatyr]

Thank you Wop31 !!! This is a friggin BS action. ALL other broadcasts of media are charged a flat per play fee. If this act is not passed into law, Internet Radio stations will be assessed a fee PER USER fee back dated to Jan 1 06 !!!!!!!! UNFRIGGIN REAL! Business have been operating completely by the law, and now they are going to be back charged because they were Legitimate! It would be like going to an all you can eat buffet, you pay for your plate and sit down to eat. You get another side, an extra entree, and a drink refill BUT the business changes their rule to no refills while you are eating......SO they hit you up for everything you have eaten there in the last year an a half on the way out!!!

Sorry to rant, just feel really strongly about this issue. Thanks for listening

 

[WOP31]

So here is the reply that I got from one of the Senators that I sent a letter to.

Thank you for contacting me. I appreciate your sharing with me your concerns regarding a proposed increase in the royalty fees paid by Internet radio businesses.

On March 2, 2007, the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) of the Library of Congress announced its decision to increase the royalty fees to be paid by Internet radio stations for streaming music beginning May 15. This decision includes an annual fee of $500 per station, per broadcast stream.

Since the initial decision was announced the CRB has denied requests of a rehearing of the issue. The CRB has, however, revised its decision to allow webcasters to calculate fees by average listening hours, as they had been previously, as opposed to its initial decision to charge a royalty each time every song is heard by an online listener.

Legal appeals to the CRB’s decision remain a distinct possibility.

Much has changed since Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. As new technologies have taken off, each has put strains on the web of regulations which originated more than a decade ago. Many observers expect these regulations to be overhauled during the 110th Congress.

A number of ideas are already circulating on Capitol Hill in anticipation of this effort, including proposals that would revise the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision to reduce the burden it would place on webcasters and public broadcasting. As Congress continues to review these proposals, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Knowing your concerns is helpful to me.

Sincerely,
Richard G. Lugar
United States Senator

Not the hell yeah down with the CRB everyone is looking for but they did adjust the rates somewhat.

 

[Drunkensatyr]

With today being the Internet Radio day of Silence, I have heard several announcements that congress is voting on some new measures to prevent the rate hikes on 28JUN07 so it really ISN'T too late. Thank you everyone who contacted their rep's.

 

[mattfuzzy]

i live in the uk so am not "up" on this as some of you, but i believe a recent radio station called mmoradio.com was shut down and nearly bankrupted due to this "issue" online radio is currently facing, also i believe this company had another division making a computer game (mmorpg) and am currently not sure if this game has been put on hold while the company gets more money (tms-broadcasting)

i would guess that within a few years from now there will be no online radio stations and even radio 1 (national bbc radio in the uk) wouldnt stream online if this affects them.

at the end of the day its ongoing, people pirate music, so companys rise prices, so more people pirate... and so on, yet their bankrupting companys to try and make up for what their losing in sales and lets face it, no ones gonna stop pirating music or anything, mabe the companys will learn when everyone pirates and theres no one left to bankrupt
-matt

 

[Orpheus]

Just in case anyone is on the fence, this is ABSOLUTELY true. Sites many of us love, like Pandora, won't be around for much longer when this happens. I don't think there is much that can be done at this point, but it's just further proof how much the music industry sucks.

Well then, my friend doesn't feel so bad for all the music he's downloaded!