Like Us
Follow Us
The day the net music died
Today is a national "Day of Silence" by Web broadcasters across the country to demonstrate how Internet radio could sound in about three weeks -- unless Congress reverses a royalty increase.
88Nine Radio Milwaukee's free Internet stream (and others around the country) are silent for 24 hours to symbolically demonstrate the pending impact of a recent federal copyright ruling.
The March decision by the federal Copyright Royalty Board, which oversees sound recording royalties paid by Internet radio services, increased Internet radio's royalty burden between 300 percent and 1,200 percent and has jeopardized the future of web radio (while increasing payments to the musicians who create the music. –ed.)
"RadioMilwaukee is participating in the Day of Silence because this is one of the best ways to accomplish two goals: raise awareness of the threat posed to free Internet radio and demonstrate what will be lost if Internet radio is forced to go silent," said J. Mikel Ellcessor, Executive Director of Radio For Milwaukee, which operates 88Nine RadioMilwaukee.
The coalition is supporting the Internet Radio Equality Act (H.R. 2060 and S. 1353), recently introduced bills that will save Internet radio from the devastating royalty fee increases that will put thousands of Internet Web casters out of business on July 15.
Talkbacks
CoolerKing | June 27, 2007 at 7:26 a.m. (report)
Danno's right. This isn't about musicians getting paid. It's about record companies getting paid. The musicians already signed the dotted line and got their check and royalty agreement. It's about the steady flow of cash from those Jessica Simpson downloads, which they can't collect from internet radio.
| Rate this: |
danno | June 26, 2007 at 6:19 p.m. (report)
This is not about musicians getting paid. In fact, they are mostly screwed by the industry. This is about companies like Clear Channel keeping their hold on "radio". The industry fought tapes, then CDs, and now Internet streaming. And they don't understand that record sales are decreasing because they are pushing crap that no one who has a brain would pay for. And how do I pay Beethoven?
| Rate this: |
littletinyfish | June 26, 2007 at 1:58 p.m. (report)
@Music Man - Without radio, nobody will know who you are and nobody will get paid.
| Rate this: |
Music Man | June 26, 2007 at 1:19 p.m. (report)
Shouldn't the musicians get paid? Or should they all have day jobs at Cousin's in order to pay the rent?
| Rate this: |
danno | June 26, 2007 at 11:46 a.m. (report)
This is what happens when there is no political involvement by music consumers. But thankfully the Internet is global and music can be streamed from anywhere. If the FBI sarts to go after USA listeners, then proxies and SSL/TLS will come to the rescue. USA music industry shoots itself in the foot once again.
| Rate this: |
|
5 comments about this article.
Post a comment / write a review. |
Facebook Comments
Disclaimer: Please note that Facebook comments are posted through Facebook and cannot be approved, edited or declined by OnMilwaukee.com. The opinions expressed in Facebook comments do not necessarily reflect those of OnMilwaukee.com or its staff.
