Internet Radio Debate Continues
A great outcry followed a ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board that significantly raised royalty rates for internet radio boradcasters. Refresh your memory on the story and the ruling here.
Congress will now consider legislation that would alter the new royalty rate and bring it closer to the royalty rates paid by satellite broadcasters.
Although the legislation has sponsors in both the House and Senate, and has bipartisan support, the internet broadcasters will still need to convince Congress of their arguments against the higher royalty rates - the same arguments that the Copyright Royalty Board found unconvincing. I think it is way too much to say that the future of music broadcasting over the internet is at stake, but the direction that future takes may very well be at stake. The debate in Congress is much more public than before the Copyright Royalty Board, so I’m looking forward to following this issue.

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