Wait a minute: Internet Radio = Dead?

So. It always happens this way, doesn't it? As soon as something really exciting begins to blossom and gain large amounts of support, the powers that be whip out their axes and chop down the budding branch of opportunity. If you have read some of my previous postings, you might have gotten the sense that I was an advocate for Internet radio. Well, I am, along with many other listeners, musicians both amateur and professional, artists both signed and unsigned, and even some record labels. But not the Copyright Royalty Board. They want to make it nearly impossible for small-time Internet radio stations to stay afloat and flood the Internet air waves with music. No, let's take away something positive and leave more room for sex, violence, hate, and everything else that pollutes computer screens across our great country.

How are they trying to kill Internet radio? In short, by increasing licensing fees for webcasters. Every time a song is played over the air it is called a performance. For every performance there is a fee that must be paid to the record company, performing rights society, publisher, artist, etc. so the record labels and recording artists can receive the appropriate performance royalties.

Why are they doing this? Of course the goal of this fee hike is not to wipe out Internet radio, but that may indeed be the reciprocal effect. Money is the issue, obviously. Apparently, even with the amount of Internet radio stations and webcasters in existence, the CRB feels that there is a need to increase licensing fees. Of course this is encouraging for recording artists, but where will we hear their music if Internet radio stations have to shut down? Terrestial radio? Ha. Don't get me wrong, I understand that Internet radio may not be the most popular way to listen to and find new music, but it sure is a viable and convenient option. And it is an extremely valuable tool for up-and-coming artists to get their music to ears outside of their family and friends. We are fully immersed in the digital age; that is not debatable anymore. And as technology will only progress and the Internet becomes a more integral part of everyone's daily routine, it doesn't make sense for measure to be proposed to possibly limit the spread of music via Internet radio. What happened to terrestrial radio could be echoed on the Internet, i.e. consolidation. Only the major players with the most money will be left standing. Then where is the variety? Luckily, however, this is not the same situation and something as dire as that is unlikely to happen. It just feels that way.

Something that is so good for artists and record labels alike needs to be stimulated, helped to grow and develop. If the artists and labels felt that they were not receiving their fair share from online radio play, is it fair to assume that they would have made some noise about it, or even endorse this move? I think so. Artists are all for promoting their music by any and all means, and the record labels enjoy having so much exposure to such a wide variety of people at little to no cost. So if no one is complaining (I don't think people have been complaining about Internet radio, except for maybe the suits at the CRB and other corporations, but of course I could be wrong) then why raise the rates (again!)? Of course prices go up with almost everything as long as the clock on the wall keeps ticking, but this move will have significant effects on many webcasters and possibly force them out of business, or at least force them to institute a subscription-type service for their online radio. If that happens, what's the difference between Internet radio and satellite radio? Exactly. Which is why Internet radio is so attractive: it is free and has a certain cool factor that other types of radio do not have right now. We live in a "me first" world and people enjoy having control, so please, don't take the remote (or keyboard, mouse, trackpad) out of our hands. Leave us some territory to explore before it becomes eaten alive and sucked lifeless by big money companies!

On the other hand. I could be rambling about something I am not fully, 100% educated on. Which is why I am going to read this article by Doc Searls on the Linux Journal again. Extremely informative and helpful on this hot topic. Thank you!

So say a prayer, cast a spell, wish upon a shooting star. Send positive vibrations to the CRB to try and sway them the other direction and help Internet radio bloom!