Get Better Gear!

Premier Sponsors

TechRestore

Other World Computing

Top 5 Free Apps

Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Date: August 07, 2009

iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Top 5 Paid Apps

Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Guero

    • 10 out of 10
    • Beck
    • Beck is the modern master of the groove, and Guero is merely the latest example of this. From the opening power chords of "E-Pro," to the Pac-Man cuteness of "Girl," to the dirge-like lullab

  • With Teeth

    • 4 out of 10
    • Nine Inch Nails
    • In the sprawling post-A&R rock and roll world, there are two camps: the Beatles and the Stones. The Beatles are the artists that like to explore, evolve, and change styles. The Stones are the artis

  • Supermodified

    • 10 out of 10
    • Amon Tobin
    • The genius is in the beats. Amon Tobin creates fantastic, groovy beats behind beats. "Supermodified" rolls through your expectations of breakbeat music, and turns them up a bit. It's a mellow album, p
  • Gimme Fiction

    • 10 out of 10
    • Spoon
    • Gimme Fiction by Spoon is a terrific album by an Austin band that I was lucky enough to catch on an Austin radio station during a Christmas visit.

  • Trouble

    • 8 out of 10
    • Ray LaMontagne
    • At first, Ray LaMontagne might strike you as just another breathy-voiced knockoff of folk/rock guitarists like John Mayer and Jack Johnson. But he's actually got a better voice than either, he tell

Reader Specials

Visit Deals On The Web for the best deals on all consumer electronics, iPods, and more!

News

Copyright Board Upholds Internet Radio-killing Fees

Internet radio stations hoping the Copyright Royalty Board would consider National Public Radio's request for a change to planned fee increases received a major blow earlier this week. The board refused to change the new rate rules, which means that many Internet radio stations are facing the prospect of paying royalty fees that exceed their annual income.

The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which is the U.S. government agency that oversees the royalty process, revised the royalty payment structure for Internet-based broadcasters in March, and the changes are set to go into effect in May.

Under that structure, Webcasting stations will be subject to a sliding payment scale that ramps up through 2010. Instead of paying between 10 and 12 percent of their gross income, the stations will be required to pay on a per song and listener model.

NPR was hoping to convince the CRB to reconsider its new royalty structure when it filed a motion for a rehearing on April 2. "In this filing, we are asking the Copyright Royalty Board judges for a public rehearing where we can provide supplemental testimony and oral argument of its motion," Andi Sporkin, NPR's Vice President of Communications, commented.

"As in the past," he added, "a reasonably-determined flat fee would be fair and just, for us and for the recording industry. We hope the unique nature of public radio and its long-standing public service to the music community and music listeners will not only be recognized, but be able to continue."

After the hearing, the CRB ruled to leave the new royalty structure as is, stating "...none of the moving parties have made a sufficient showing of new evidence or clear error or manifest injustice that would warrant rehearing."

SoundExchange, the RIAA's digital music fee collection organization, originally proposed the new royalty structure, which means the ruling is music to the organization's ears. SoundExchange Executive Director John Simson called the ruling "a victory for performing artists and record labels," and added "Our artists and labels look forward to working with the Internet Radio industry."


Live365's listener awareness program

Unfortunately, that industry is likely to get much smaller in the near future. In an effort to help keep that from happening, Live365 has launched a new Web page designed to drive up listener awareness. SaveNetRadio.org has launched its own awareness campaign as well, and coupled it with an online petitions.

While some groups are considering taking the royalty battle into the U.S. Court of Appeals and others are looking for legislative support, any help that comes from the government will be too late for most stations since the process could take over a year. By that time, your iTunes radio list will likely be substantially shorter.

Post Your Comments

  Remember Me  Forgot your password?

Not a member? Register now. You can post comments without logging in, but they'll show up as a "guest" post.

Commenting is not available in this section entry.