Save Internet Radio

Time is running out for US based independent web radio streams. From the savenetradio.org website:

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!

These exorbitant rates go into effect on May 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). Without Congressional action the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. We need your help. Please take a moment to send a letter to your member of Congress to keep Net radio from being silenced.

Go to the Act Now! page on the Savenetradio.org and fill out the form to email your legislators and ask them to stop this huge rate increase on webcasters. Don’t know who your representatives are? Neither did I, but by filling out your address information you will get their names and a mugshot so you can recognize them on the street or CSPAN.