Help prevent the death of Internet radio - Pandora Last.FM etc.

ledhed

I got this e-mail today from the founder of Pandora, an internet radio site which I know many people here use.

E-mail wrote:

Hi, it's Tim from Pandora,

I'm writing today to ask for your help. The survival of Pandora and all of Internet radio is in jeopardy because of a recent decision by the Copyright Royalty Board in Washington, DC to almost triple the licensing fees for Internet radio sites like Pandora. The new royalty rates are irrationally high, more than four times what satellite radio pays, and broadcast radio doesn't pay these at all. Left unchanged, these new royalties will kill every Internet radio site, including Pandora.

In response to these new and unfair fees, we have formed the SaveNetRadio Coalition, a group that includes listeners, artists, labels and webcasters. I hope that you will consider joining us.

Please sign our petition urging your Congressional representative to act to save Internet radio: http://capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/issues/alert/?alertid=9631541

Please feel free to forward this link/email to your friends - the more petitioners we can get, the better.

Understand that we are fully supportive of paying royalties to the artists whose music we play, and have done so since our inception. As a former touring musician myself, I'm no stranger to the challenges facing working musicians. The issue we have with the recent ruling is that it puts the cost of streaming far out of the range of ANY webcaster's business potential.

I hope you'll take just a few minutes to sign our petition - it WILL make a difference. As a young industry, we do not have the lobbying power of the RIAA. You, our listeners, are by far our biggest and most influential allies.

As always, and now more than ever, thank you for your support.

tim_signature.jpg
-Tim Westergren
(Pandora founder)

engtaz

Dang

ohskigod

I swear, its ike the record companies dont want you to try there music. do they think were gonna buy it blind?

I've bought a number of CD's based on using pandora to find stuff I like. is a handy tool. and they wonder why record sales plummet

TennesseeOutlaw

signed the petition.. Hope we win..

Sansui

ohskigod wrote: »

I've bought a number of CD's based on using pandora to find stuff I like. is a handy tool. and they wonder why record sales plummet

I totally agree with that! If it wasn't for Shoutcast I wouldn't have spent the money I have on CD's.

I just signed the petition too.

Fireman32

Man I love Pandora. I found alot of new music as well from them. Signed.

cmy330go

Here is a link to a Podcast from Chicago Public Radio's show Sound Opinions (4/2/07), that some of you may find interesting. The first part of the show discusses this very issue.

The whole idea of this just pisses me off.

audiobliss

I would sign it, too, but the page just won't load for me for some reason.

wallstreet

Damn, back to Limewire...

wodom1

Signed. I've bought several CD's after discovering bands on Pandora.

ledhed

Well, as a bump there is also this:

Thank you for your support of the SaveNetRadio campaign. As you know, the future of internet radio is in serious jeopardy. Your letter to your Congressional representatives has led Congress to take action, and a bill that could save Net radio has been introduced.

The “Internet Radio Equality Act ", H.R. 2060, is being considered by Congress right now, and we ask that you take a moment to call your Congressperson to ask them to co-sponsor this legislation.

To find the phone number for your Congressional representative, visit http://capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/home/ and enter your zip code.

Your opinion matters to your representatives, and it matters to us. Without your support this bill could not have been introduced and without your continued support it cannot be passed.

Visit SaveNetRadio.org to continue following the fight to Save Internet Radio.

Thank you,

The SaveNetRadio Coalition

ledhed

So, this is essentially it, if there is not immediate action taken by Congress, internet radio will be dead in 3 days! Please, follow this link and ask your Congress man to force immediate action on the Internet Radio Equality Act.
LINK LINK LINK

Here is more info:

Disaster looms! Yesterday a federal court denied a plea to delay the massive increase in rates webcasters must pay the record labels. This means that, absent immediate Congressional action, the new ruinous royalty rates will be going into effect on Monday threatening the future of all internet radio.
This is a very dire situation and I'm writing to ask one more time for your support. The effort you've made over the past four months has been extraordinary and has forced the rapid introduction of the bill, but the committee process has been sluggish and we need to once again remind the representatives of the urgency of this issue. This is perhaps the most important phone call you can make for us.

Please call your Congressional representatives in the House and the Senate and ask them to force immediate action on the Internet Radio Equality Act and bring the bill to a vote. It is critical that their phones begin ringing off the hook starting early in the morning. If it's busy, please try again later.

I'm sorry that we have to keep asking you for this - but it's our only recourse. We are no match for the legal and legislative strength of the RIAA and we need your help.

cmy330go

That is soooooo lame! I'm truly beginning to HATE the music industry.

sucks2beme

cmy330go wrote: »

That is soooooo lame! I'm truly beginning to HATE the music industry.

Or lack of industry. Time for those boys to put on their thinking caps and
come out with some real ideas instead of lamely complaining the internet is killing them.
It's their lack of material that's doing it. Rap is old. The older crowd that bought records
and cds can't find/hear anything new that's palettable. Thus, sales are down.