Music Nerds Unite!

[SteamboatPaul]

Save Internet Radio!!!

Click above and fill out this new and improved petition. This one is created by a new coalition called Save Net Radio

Save internet radio!!!!!!

 Listening to: Nick Lowe on Radio Paradise

[heaubeau]

I emailed one of my senators, Tom Coburn, about this several weeks ago.  Today I received this response.

Dear Mr. Winfrey,

 

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Copyright Royalty Board's (CRB) recently announced new statutory royalty rates. I appreciate your input on this issue.

 

As you know, on March 9, the CRB issued a decision that establishes a statutorily mandated standard for royalty rates for commercial and non-commercial Webcasters. The new rates represent an extension of the "willing buyer/willing seller" standard. The new rate requires both commercial and non-commercial Webcasters to pay an annual $500 non-refundable fee.

 

The new rate, however, does not include a special exception for small Webcasters. The CRB considered a small Webcasters proposal where the fee structure would be based on total revenues. The CRB rejected the proposals because:

 

"mall commercial webcasters focus on the amount of the fee, rather than how it should be structured, is further underlined by the absence of evidence submitted by this group to identify a basis for applying a pure revenue-based structure to them. While, at times, they suggest that their situation as small commercial webcasters requires this type of structure, there is no evidence in the record about how the Copyright Royalty Judges would delineate between small webcasters and large webcasters."

 

The CRB ruled they lack the statutory authority to carve out royalty rate exceptions for the emergent business models promoted by small commercial Webcasters. To that end, I suspect a legislative bill will be introduced in the Senate that would provide the CRB with the requisite statutory authority to carve out an exception for small Webcasters. Should a bill come before the Senate, I certainly will keep your views in mind.

 

Again, thank you for writing me. Should you have any additional concerns, please feel free to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

Tom Coburn

United States Senator

 

TC: swm

 Listening to: Carry Me Ohio - Sun Kil Moon

[TellurideTom]

I also got a response from my Senator:

Dear Thomas:


Thank you for contacting me regarding internet radio and royalty rates. I appreciate hearing from you.

The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) recently announced new statutory royalty rates for certain digital transmissions of sound recordings for the period January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2010. Implementation of these new rates marks the expiration of a previous royalty rate agreement specifically designed to benefit "small" webcasters.

I understand the issue of whether the economic needs of small commercial webcasters should be factored into statutory royalty rates is extremely important to many of my constituents who listen to internet radio. While legislation pertaining to this matter generally falls to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which I am not a member, please rest assured I will keep your thoughts on this matter in mind should it be considered by the full Senate.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Ken Salazar
United States Senator

[Mark in Alabama]

done

[Hippie]

here is a link to the senate committie on trade and commerce:

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/

here are the members of the committee:

Democrats
 
Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (HI)
John D. Rockefeller, IV (WV)
John F. Kerry (MA)
Byron L. Dorgan (ND)
Barbara Boxer (CA)
Bill Nelson (FL)
Maria Cantwell (WA)
Frank R. Lautenberg (NJ)
Mark Pryor (AR)
Thomas Carper (DE)
Claire McCaskill (MO)
Amy Klobuchar (MN)

           Republicans
Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (AK)
John McCain (AZ)
Trent Lott (MS)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Olympia J. Snowe (ME)
Gordon H. Smith (OR)
John Ensign (NV)
John E. Sununu (NH)
Jim DeMint (SC)
David Vitter (LA)
John Thune (SD)

a direct link to the page that is linked to each senators web site:

http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=About.Members

I'm working on this after the pledge drive ends this Friday.


 Listening to: Moody Bluegrass - Thanks Tom

[Hippie]

here is some good news from the internet radio front:

 

http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/042607b/index.shtml

 

 Listening to: Giants Baseball on KNBR

[Hippie]

Action Alert

CALL YOUR CONGRESSPERSON NOW TO ASK THEM TO CO-SPONSOR H.R. 2060, THE INTERNET RADIO EQUALITY ACT.

Call Now

There is a bill just introduced in Congress that will save Internet radio from the devastating royalty fee increases that will put thousands of Internet webcasters out of business.  Please call your Representative in Congress as soon as possible and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 2060, the Internet Radio Equality Act.



 Listening to: KWMR community radio

[SteamboatPaul]

this just in:

Last Friday a Senate version of the bill was introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sam Brownback (R-KS): www.savenetradio.org/071510-wyden.pdf. This is a promising development, but we need your help again. I know we're asking a lot, but the stakes couldn't be higher and the fight is not over.   

Please call the offices of your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act, S. 1353.

Senator Ken Salazar: (202) 224-5852
Senator Wayne Allard: (202) 224-5941
(if your in colorado)   

Visit www.savenetradio.org to keep up on our fight to save Internet radio. There are some powerful testimonials there from musicians who have found their audience through Internet radio. 

 



 
   

 Listening to: Jethro Tull- Live in 1970

[John R]

Act on this today.

http://www.savenetradio.org/

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

 Listening to: NPR

[Hippie]

Keep those calls and letters going to your congresspeople folks they are having an effect.

Check this out:

http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/07/breaking-news-o.html

 

 Listening to: KPIG 1510-Out to lunch

[Hippie]

Looks like we've temporarily kep the wolves at bay. Thanks to all of you who took the time to contact your congresspeople. Negotiations are going to continue to help keep Internet radio alive.

We have word from the nat'l federation of community broadcasters that streaming is OK to continue for now. While negotiations continue.

That means you can tune in to the stream tonight for my show.

Thank you , Thank you, Thank you

 

 Listening to: www.savenetradio.org

[Hippie]

Thanks to the NFCB for this reminder:

It is likely that the issues surrounding webcasting will get more
Congressional attention in the fall, and there is a possibility there
will be hearings on the Senate side.

With Congress in recess and your Senators and Reps at home, this is a
good time to make sure they know what a fair outcome would look like,
and why the current CRB decision will be harmful to public radio and
small webcasters.  It's also a good idea to keep the issue in front of
your listeners and to keep the pressure up for passage of the Internet
Radio Equality Act.  More information is available at
http://www.tellthempublicmatters.org/radio.html.

 

 Listening to: george and keoki kahumoku