Offer to Internet Radio
Congress is still studying proposed legislation to reduce the new royalty rates for web broadcasters (internet radio) announced by the Copyright Royalty Board recently. But just last week, at the request of the House Judiciary Committee, SoundExchange, the royalty collection agency, has made an offer to small webcasters that would essentially extend the previous royalty rates to them until 2010. SoundExchanges press release explains the offer.
A group called SaveNetRadio, representing webcasters, has criticized the offer, claiming it is designed to keep small webcasters small. Also read the Washington Times story here.
The debate over webcasters has been and will continue to be heated. Webcasting offers an alternative to the high cost and limited availability of radio stations for individuals who want to program radio. Those small webcast/radio alternatives in turn offer an accessible outlet for independent musicians who are essentially locked out of the increasingly centrally programmed radio stations. And that diversity of programming offers alternatives to millions of listeners who now have access to a huge variety of programming chosen by thousands of different programmers, and not just the ten or so radio broadcast stations in their town - most of which are programmed by the same person who programs the stations in all the neighboring towns as well.
But at the same time, it’s important to not lose sight of the fact that the music played on all these stations, both radio and internet, represents the work product of many people. Songwriters and performers who are trying to make a living must get paid somewhere along the way. We have not yet reached a concensus on the best way to do that.
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