Save Internet Radio: Call your representatives today.Thousands of internet radio broadcasters are planning a mass protest on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 by going completely silent, or airing the sound of ocean waves or similar, to protest new draconian royalty rates established by the Copyright Royalty Board. The new rates, which are retroactive to January of 2006, are on a per listener basis versus previous per song royalty rates and will double over five years time. Just to give you an idea of how onerous the new rates are, current internet radio royalty rates are already double what sattelite radio broadcasters pay.

This will have the effect of driving most internet radio broadcasters out of business who will not be able to afford the new rates. It's important that artists be reimbursed for their efforts, but many independent artists need internet radio to gain the exposure that they are denied by mainstream broadcast radio. Internet radio serves a vital function in our society by introducing listeners to a variety of artists and viewpoints that are considered unviable by commercial sources. The new royalty structure will effectively kill off this vital medium.

You can make your voice heard. Ask your Congress critters to cosponsor S. 1353 and H.R. 2060. Join National Public Radio and thousands of independent internet radio broadcasters from across the U.S. by calling your Sentators and Representatives on this matter. And while you're at it, go give a few bucks to two of my favorite internet radio ventures -- Delicous Agony and Aural Moon -- both of which provide amazing progressive rock radio programming. Better yet... If you have a favorite internet radio station, go give them some of your hard earned money. They deserve it.

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