Who’s Killing Internet Radio?
A War on Independence
This country needs more culture, not less, and what is our government doing?
The feds just increased streaming fees for Internet radio stations, and not only that, but made the fees retroactive to 2006.
Plus there’s now a $500 per year minimum. Say goodbye to the smallest broadcasters.
The Copyright Royalty Board, which operates under the Library of Congress, dealt a potentially devastating blow by ruling that webcasters must pay both artists and record labels every time a song is streamed online. [Via ABC]
|
2006 |
$.0008 per performance |
|
2007 |
$.0011 per performance |
|
2008 |
$.0014 per performance |
|
2009 |
$.0018 per performance |
|
2010 |
$.0019 per performance |
A “performance” is the streaming of one song to one listener. If as a broadcaster you have an average of 100 listeners, you rack up a bill for 100 “performances” for each song you play(!).
Say goodbye to many of the medium-sized broadcasters.
Even The Big Will Suffer
This will not only kill off most or all of the small/medium sized Net broadcasters, it will curtail programs at even large ones like KEXP. Read what KEXP’s Executive Director says about it.
We’ve already lost “our” airwaves to superconglomerates like Clear Channel. Let’s not lose the indie Internet broadcasters too.
I (Heart) Internet Radio
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got Internet radio streaming all day… KEXP, KKJZ-FM, KXCI and sometimes the fun, snappy Cuernavaca, Mexico station Radio Reposado.
This decision is in the “appeals” phase now. You can help by contacting your congressmembers and asking them to help stop this fiasco. Also you can contact the CRB and let them know how you feel about losing Internet radio. I did.
More
http://www.savethestreams.org/
http://www.futureofmusic.org/news/webcastingrates07.cfm
Popularity: 40%
Well put, Matt — thanks for writing this article. We’ve posted a link to it from our imagi-blog as well.
Ugh… It’s probably the lobbyists working for the commercial radio stations and satellite radio putting the pressure on. IMHO, there is really no need for both to exist anymore with the existance of wireless technology … I’m waiting for the day when car radios (or any radio for that matter) become mini computers and have internet capabilities. Then we’ll have KEXP when driving all the way from Seattle to NYC!
Paid radio (XM and Sirius) can be very good. You can listen to a station and never be subjected to anything outside that narrow channel of music. Good or bad? You be the judge.
I rented a car with XM radio in Las Vegas a couple months ago and listened to “Hair Nation” and “Blue Collar”, just two of a hundred or so stations.
You know, XM does nothing for me. I’ve tried but cannot find a station I like out of its 100s…