H.R. 2060: The Internet Radio Equality Act
I've been enjoying Radio Paradise for several hours each day now, and it's outstanding. I've also spent many hours listening to Pandora.My timing, however, was poor.
Here's an excerpt from the Save Net Radio 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!
What?
Well, it's easy to figure out where to be on that issue. Anything that starts off with "At the request of the Recording Industry Association of America" must be wrong. I think the RIAA's ultimate goal is to kill interest in music so thoroughly that no one will listen anymore. At least, everything they do seems to be pursuing that goal.
These new royalty rates take effect on May 15.
Fortunately, a bill has been introduced--H.R. 2060, the Internet Radio Equality Act--to stop this idiocy. It was well worth taking five minutes out of my day to call my Congressman and tell him that the bill should be supported. If you'd like to do that as well, just go here, type in your zip code, and make a phone call.
I also saw an article at MSNBC this morning that gives an overview of what's going on. In that article, by the way, is a real nugget: David Byrne has his own Internet radio station. I'm listening to it right now, and it's here.
And here's an idea for new branding for the Recording Industry Association of America.
The RIAA: hating music and the people who listen to it since 1952.
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