[XCSSA] Fwd: Help Save Internet Radio
xcssa@xcssa.org
xcssa@xcssa.org
Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:11:56 -0500
--Boundary_(ID_Iobw44yoDP2g1G8meJAJPA)
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I just got this (more) bad news about webcasting. This is not the
first time it's been threatened with a massive music royality payment
increase. A number of years ago, a great deal of public outrage got
a rate increase suspended for a few years. But now it's back again.
Your congressional reps should hear from you on this.
I'm surprised that even Rhapsody is urging their subscribers to
complain. I figured that since they are not a free service (at least
not for Premium Rhapsody) they wouldn't mind a rate increase that
would wipe out their free competition. (The webcast rates are based
on song title listeners, not like the old 3% of revenue model used
for AM/FM radio for more than a half century.)
But I guess I figured wrong. It would not be good for Rhapsody either.
Here's one set of arguments in favor of a keeping royalties low:
http://somafm.com/blogs/rusty/2007/04/inslee-introduces-internet-
radio.html
OTOH, Soundexchange, the outfit that actually collects the webcast
royalties argues that artists need to get more money, and that
corporate webcasters are making out like bandits on their artists labor.
http://soundexchange.com/
The way this typically works, though, is that the small artists get
next to nothing from all kinds of broadcast royalties, while the top
artists and labels get millions. So guess who soundexchange (like
RIAA, ASCAP, etc.) really represents.
Quite often small artists are so fed up with the system they release
work in other ways for free.
Charles
Begin forwarded message:
> From: "Tim Quirk, Rhapsody" <news@real-email.net>
> Date: June 27, 2007 2:24:28 PM CDT
> Subject: Help Save Internet Radio
> Reply-To: news@real-email.net
>
> Dear Rhapsody Radio user -
>
> As a longtime member of the Rhapsody music team, I wanted to let
> you know about a recent decision made in Washington D.C. that
> threatens the diverse Internet radio programming digital music fans
> like yourself enjoy today.
>
> The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), the group that sets royalty
> rates for Internet radio, recently announced a dramatic 300% to
> 1,200% increase in the fees webcasters will have to pay to stream
> online radio. These new rates are supposed to take effect on July
> 15th.
>
> In addition, the CRB imposed a new $500 minimum fee for every
> channel we offer. These unprecedented fees would require webcasters
> to pay music labels far more than we receive from customers. And
> they threaten our ability to let customers create custom channels,
> or to offer individual artist channels for the 250,000+ artists in
> Rhapsody.
>
> Together, these unprecedented changes threaten to bankrupt hundreds
> of small webcasters and severely limit the number and types of
> stations offered by companies like Rhapsody. In response to this
> potentially devastating increase, webcasters, artists and digital
> music fans have united to form the SaveNetRadio Coalition
> (www.savenetradio.com).
>
> The Coalition strongly opposes the new CRB royalty rates and
> supports the Internet Radio Equality Act, a bill now before
> Congress that would nullify the new, damaging royalty rates and
> preserve the diversity that Internet radio provides music fans
> today. This is a fair, artist-friendly solution that compensates
> musicians while preserving the unique benefits Internet radio
> listeners value.
>
> Please take a moment to join the SaveNetRadio cause by contacting
> your Congressional representatives and asking that they act now to
> save Internet radio; you can find the names and contact information
> for your Congressional representatives here:
>
> http://www.savenetradio.org/act_now/index.html
>
> And please feel free to forward this link/email to your friends --
> the more our representatives hear from us, the better chance we
> have to save Internet radio.
>
> Thank you for your support on this important issue.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Tim Quirk
> VP, Music Content and Programming
> Rhapsody/RealNetworks
>
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
--Boundary_(ID_Iobw44yoDP2g1G8meJAJPA)
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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">I just got this (more) bad news =
about webcasting.=A0 This is not the first time it's been threatened =
with a massive music royality payment increase.=A0 A number of years =
ago, a great deal of public outrage got a rate increase suspended for a =
few years.=A0 But now it's back again.<DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Your congressional reps =
should hear from you on this.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I'm surprised that even =
Rhapsody is urging their subscribers to complain.=A0 I figured that =
since they are not a free service (at least not for Premium Rhapsody) =
they wouldn't mind a rate increase that would wipe out their free =
competition.=A0 (The webcast rates are based on song title listeners, =
not like the old 3% of revenue model used for AM/FM radio for more than =
a half century.)</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>But I guess I figured =
wrong.=A0 It would not be good for Rhapsody either.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Here's one set of arguments =
in favor of a keeping royalties low:</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://somafm.com/blogs/rusty/2007/04/inslee-introduces-internet-r=
adio.html">http://somafm.com/blogs/rusty/2007/04/inslee-introduces-interne=
t-radio.html</A></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>OTOH, Soundexchange, the =
outfit that actually collects the webcast royalties argues that artists =
need to get more money, and that corporate webcasters are making out =
like bandits on their artists labor.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://soundexchange.com">http://soundexchange.com</A>/</DIV><DIV>=
<BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The way this typically =
works, though, is that the small artists get next to nothing from all =
kinds of broadcast royalties, while the top artists and labels get =
millions.=A0 So guess who soundexchange (like RIAA, ASCAP, etc.) really =
represents.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Quite often small artists =
are so fed up with the system they release work in other ways for =
free.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Charles</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><BR><DIV>Begin =
forwarded message:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>From: =
</B></FONT><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">"Tim Quirk, Rhapsody" <<A =
href=3D"mailto:news@real-email.net">news@real-email.net</A>></FONT></DI=
V><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Date: =
</B></FONT><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">June 27, 2007 2:24:28 PM CDT</FONT></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Subject: =
</B></FONT><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica"><B>Help Save Internet Radio</B></FONT></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><B>Reply-To: =
</B></FONT><FONT face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica"><A =
href=3D"mailto:news@real-email.net">news@real-email.net</A></FONT></DIV><D=
IV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> <DIV style=3D"margin-top:=
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Dear =
Rhapsody Radio user -<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0</SPAN></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">As a longtime =
member of the Rhapsody music team, I wanted to let you know about a =
recent decision made in Washington D.C. that threatens the diverse =
Internet radio programming digital music fans like yourself enjoy =
today.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), the group that =
sets royalty rates for Internet radio, recently announced a dramatic =
300% to 1,200% increase in the fees webcasters will have to pay to =
stream online radio. These new rates are supposed to take effect on July =
15th.<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0</SPAN></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">In =
addition, the CRB imposed a new $500 minimum fee for every channel we =
offer. These unprecedented fees would require webcasters to pay music =
labels far more than we receive from customers. And they threaten our =
ability to let customers create custom channels, or to offer individual =
artist channels for the 250,000+ artists in Rhapsody.</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">Together, these unprecedented changes threaten to bankrupt hundreds of =
small webcasters and severely limit the number and types of stations =
offered by companies like Rhapsody. In response to this potentially =
devastating increase, webcasters, artists and digital music fans have =
united to form the SaveNetRadio Coalition (<A =
href=3D"http://www.savenetradio.com">www.savenetradio.com</A>).</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The =
Coalition strongly opposes the new CRB royalty rates and supports the =
Internet Radio Equality Act, a bill now before Congress that would =
nullify the new, damaging royalty rates and preserve the diversity that =
Internet radio provides music fans today. This is a fair, =
artist-friendly solution that compensates musicians while preserving the =
unique benefits Internet radio listeners value.</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Please =
take a moment to join the SaveNetRadio cause by contacting your =
Congressional representatives and asking that they act now to save =
Internet radio; you can find the names and contact information for your =
Congressional representatives here:</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A =
href=3D"http://www.savenetradio.org/act_now/index.html">http://www.savenet=
radio.org/act_now/index.html</A></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">And please feel free to forward =
this link/email to your friends -- the more our representatives hear =
from us, the better chance we have to save Internet radio.<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =A0</SPAN></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Thank =
you for your support on this important issue.</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">Sincerely,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Tim =
Quirk</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">VP, Music Content and =
Programming<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0</SPAN></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Rhapsody/RealNetworks</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><=
/DIV></BODY></HTML>=
--Boundary_(ID_Iobw44yoDP2g1G8meJAJPA)--