Internet Radio Day of Silence (about radio, not homosexuals)

MPYR Radio ^ | 06/26/07 | Debi Collinsworth

[Awestruck]

Thousands of Internet radio stations and channels across North America are going silent today (6/26) as part of an industry-wide "Day of Silence". The landmark event is designed to draw attention to impending royalty rates that threaten to virtually shut down Internet radio as a medium.

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!).

To protest these rates and encourage you to take action and contact your Congressional representatives, we are taking part in the Day of Silence, by silencing our programming for today.

[PeterFinn]

Just start using music from indepedents.

[Awestruck]

Internet radio is the best thing to happen to indie music...

[ShadowAce]

[PeterFinn]

I agree - My response would be to do indie music ONLY and to BOYCOTT corporate labels - why not turn the tables on them?

[ssaftler]

The point of the protest is that the powers that be who determine royalty rates for broadcasting songs want to jump the rates pretty drastically effective July 15th. If this is allowed to happen, many of the Internet streams that we know and love will go away because of the added costs.

There is a bill making its way through Congress as we speak to keep this from happening, but the deadline is approaching. If you want more details on the problem and the potential solution, go to the following address:

http://www.savenetradio.org

There is a place there to send an e-mail to your Congress-critter and make your voice heard, and at least mine seems to be listening, based on the return e-mail I received.

[KarlInOhio]

The medium shouldn't matter for rights payments. I don't care if it is analog terrestrial, digital terrestrial, satellite or internet. They should all pay on the same scale. Right now analog terrestrial has a much better deal than internet broadcasts. I don't know about digital terrestrial or satellite.

[AlexW]

Are you talking about just music channels?
I listen to talk radio via internet. I am now listening to
Rush via WABC internet.

I do, however, have a fear that some government action
or group will find some way to tax it out of existence.

[KarlInOhio]

Yes, music. They are getting hosed compared to radio.

woxy.com is off the air today.

[AFreeBird]

This is about streaming audio from say, your favorite local radio station. Currently, for over the air radio and streaming audio, they pay royalties on a per song basis. The changed rule that's supposed to take place on July 15th (and be retroactive to Jan 1 -sound familiar?), would change the internet streaming fee to a per song, per person fee.

This needs to be fought, IMHO.

[AFreeBird]

So is my WKLU 101.9FM here in Indy. But I am currently listening to Rush over the net from WIBC 1070AM.

[tubebender]

RELATED STORY FROM EUREKA CA

[BlazingArizona]

I do, however, have a fear that some government action or group will find some way to tax it out of existence.

We need to move the Internet radio servers offshore. I'm sure that the RIAA will have Congress impose some sort of Chicom-style blocking scheme, but the hackers will figure out a way to bypass it in about a week.

[Defend the Second]

Try “somafm.com”. That is an example of a internet radio station definitely worth saving. Great music, no commercials. Eleven channels of music (Groove Salad: my personal favorite) But it will be shut down if the 600% royalty increase goes into effect.

[KarlInOhio]

We need to move the Internet radio servers offshore. I'm sure that the RIAA will have Congress impose some sort of Chicom-style blocking scheme,

Congress will eagerly jump to build a firewall when they refused to build a wall.

[AlexW]

“I’m sure that the RIAA will have Congress impose some sort of Chicom-style blocking scheme”

I have no concern about music broadcast via internet.
Anyone, anywhere, can get all the free music they want.
I never bothered looking for an internet music station.

Talk radio and news, however, is a different story.
Internet is the ONLY way I can get news and talk radio.

[gunservative]

Radio doesn’t pay royalties to the artists (and never has), but the National Association of Broadcasters’s lobbying arm have forced satellite radio and internet radio to do this.

Now the hypocritical NAB has convinced an unaccountable 3-judge body (Copyright Royalty Board) to effectively bankrupt internet radio.

Where’s the justice?

[JamesP81]

but the hackers will figure out a way to bypass it in about a week.

The computer community broke the DRM on Vista within a day of its release. Shouldn't take a week. Makes me proud to be in the coder community.

[napscoordinator]

Why not just listen to regular radio. That is what is there for. They play plenty of music and various stations. Maybe the internet radio in cars needs to go anyway.

[PeterFinn]

The retroactive part is illegal - an ex-post facto issue.