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national day of silence for internet radio

edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
edited June 2007 in Strut Central
This is really scary to me. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't listen to WFMU and KFJC anymore. i hate that diane feinstein supports thishttp://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/06/webcasters-nati.htmlAcross the U.S. today, thousands of internet radio stations are observing a national Day of Silence to protest new webcasting rates set by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board. These new rates, which will go into effect on July 15 (and are retroactive to January 1, 2006), will drastically increase the royalties webcasters must pay to SoundExchange, an offshoot of the RIAA responsible for distributing this money to artists.WFMU believes in compensating artists. We currently pay webcasting royalties to SoundExchange and will continue to do so, but we are protesting the new rate scheme for a number of reasons:1. Under the new rates, non-commercial webcasters only get a break on the commercial royalty rate if they maintain small listenership numbers. In order to afford the astronomical new rates, WFMU may have to cap online listenership on our streams, limiting the exposure we give to independent artists by blocking our accessibility to music fans.2. SoundExchange has not been dutifully distributing webcasting royalties to musicians, claiming on their website that they are unable to locate thousands of artists including Kraftwerk, The Replacements, Pizzicato Five, The Muffs, and even Warren G!Instead of webcasting silence today, WFMU has decided to boycott all music that is registered with the RIAA and/or SoundExchange. Today, you will hear songs from live performances on WFMU, material from the public domain, orphaned works, music from bands and record labels that have signed a waiver releasing WFMU from SoundExchange's unreasonable royalty scheme, and music from artists that SoundExchange has neglected to pay.We hope that this sends the message that WFMU is fully capable of airing great music that falls outside of the RIAA and SoundExchange's control.If you would like to protest the new webcasting royalty rates, please call or write to your Representatives and Senators before July 15, and tell them to support the Internet Radio Equality Act (S. 1353 and HR. 2060). Visit SaveNetRadio.org for more information, including a quick way to look up contact info for your elected officials.

  Comments

  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    This is really scary to me. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't listen to WFMU and KFJC anymore. i hate that diane feinstein supports this

    http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/06/webcasters-nati.html

    Across the U.S. today, thousands of internet radio stations are observing a national Day of Silence to protest new webcasting rates set by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board. These new rates, which will go into effect on July 15 (and are retroactive to January 1, 2006), will drastically increase the royalties webcasters must pay to SoundExchange, an offshoot of the RIAA responsible for distributing this money to artists.

    WFMU believes in compensating artists. We currently pay webcasting royalties to SoundExchange and will continue to do so, but we are protesting the new rate scheme for a number of reasons:

    1. Under the new rates, non-commercial webcasters only get a break on the commercial royalty rate if they maintain small listenership numbers. In order to afford the astronomical new rates, WFMU may have to cap online listenership on our streams, limiting the exposure we give to independent artists by blocking our accessibility to music fans.

    2. SoundExchange has not been dutifully distributing webcasting royalties to musicians, claiming on their website that they are unable to locate thousands of artists including Kraftwerk, The Replacements, Pizzicato Five, The Muffs, and even Warren G!

    Instead of webcasting silence today, WFMU has decided to boycott all music that is registered with the RIAA and/or SoundExchange. Today, you will hear songs from live performances on WFMU, material from the public domain, orphaned works, music from bands and record labels that have signed a waiver releasing WFMU from SoundExchange's unreasonable royalty scheme, and music from artists that SoundExchange has neglected to pay.

    We hope that this sends the message that WFMU is fully capable of airing great music that falls outside of the RIAA and SoundExchange's control.

    If you would like to protest the new webcasting royalty rates, please call or write to your Representatives and Senators before July 15, and tell them to support the Internet Radio Equality Act (S. 1353 and HR. 2060). Visit SaveNetRadio.org for more information, including a quick way to look up contact info for your elected officials.

    You knew the RIAA would find a way to fuck up something as simple and beautiful as internet radio. And that lame politicians would rush to aid them in their quest. ASSHOLES.
  • PonyPony 2,283 Posts
    This makes me so fuckin' angry!

    Internet radio is the only thing I listen to.

  • Deejay_OMDeejay_OM 695 Posts
    I had heard about this through the guy who helps to run KUSF...seems like some bullshit to me....


    and how are you not able to locate...Kraftwerk or Warren G? wtf? oh...you have to try...gotcha...I bet they just like having the money sit in their bank account....accruing interest...
  • PonyPony 2,283 Posts
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES
    ASSHOLES

    They ruin everything. In 5-10 years it will probably sound like your local SHIT top 40 station.

    IF YOUR READING THIS, PLEASE GO KILL YOURSELF!

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    Shot at 2007-06-26
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    sadly WEVL already suffers from said "caps" on streaming
  • mrmatthewmrmatthew 1,575 Posts
    So the station I do a show on was going to participate in this web-stream day of silence, but it turns out that one of our radio transmitters is actually fed via our webstream...so we can't actually particapate in this without shutting down a major tower.
    Irony? Probably.
    We are still going to be reading a statement about it eaach 1/2 hour on the air.
  • kalakala 3,362 Posts
    now that"regular "radio has been ruined by the fcc and the clear channel we get this
    whats next a tax on music we play at home?
    nazi skkkumfux
  • 33thirdcom33thirdcom 2,049 Posts
    The RIAA should hire Roxy Cottontail, Steve Aoki, MOM Jeans, and Steve masterson for their next publicity campaign... All of those "World Reknown DJs" backing the RIAA would be a shoe in for the popularity vote amongst hipsters and teens.
  • oldjeezyoldjeezy 134 Posts
    Yup, it's a ploy to squash an emerging medium before it can take off. But don't worry, when the major media companies take it over, you won't be bothered by anymore of that pesky "music". They'll just force you to pay top dollar for some great top 40.

    With the exception of a couple of webcasters that have become pretty popular(WFMU, SOMAfm, Radio Paradise), most of the really cool stuff (Mp3 blogs and podcasts) is flying under the radar .
  • DJBombjackDJBombjack Miami 1,665 Posts
    The RIAA should hire Roxy Cottontail, Steve Aoki, MOM Jeans, and Steve masterson for their next publicity campaign... All of those "World Reknown DJs" backing the RIAA would be a shoe in for the popularity vote amongst hipsters and teens.

    Yes!
  • squiidsquiid 35 Posts
    Friend of mine recently got Warren G's contact info no problem. He's handled (professionally) by his uncle.

    I'll be moving out of WFMU's broadcast range in a month or so; sad if I couldn't listen anymore, etc.
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    sadly WEVL already suffers from said "caps" on streaming

    that's horrible! i wonder what exactly is considered "small listenership numbers"? i'm dreading this so much. we don't really have anything like WFMU out here except for a decent pirate radio station, but of course there's always a danger of that disappearing without warning.
  • BaptBapt 2,503 Posts

    That sucks
  • diane_dianediane_diane 104 Posts
    some (temporary) good news for radio webcasters...

    In the wake of an appeals court's decision not to delay the imposition of a new, expensive royalty scheme, Internet radio broadcasters got an unexpected bit of good news from an unlikely source. During a Congressional roundtable initiated by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), SoundExchange executive director Jon Simson said that the licensing group will not enforce the new royalty scheme. Instead, the rate hikes will be postponed indefinitely while SoundExchange and the webcasters attempt to hammer out a more equitable rate schedule.

    -----------

    i think it's something like under 300 listeners at a time to qualify as one of the small stations under that halted royalty plan.

    thanks to everyone who called their representatives.
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