I’m passing this on, even though it doesn’t effect podcasting directly, it could in time. As big time streaming radio listener, I wanted to pass this on.
Dear SaveNetRadio supporter,
It has been a year since an increase in royalty fees for webcasters put the future of Internet radio at risk. Since then, more than 2 million people have called on Congress to save Internet radio, the Internet Radio Equality Act has been cosponsored by 150 Members of Congress, and a hearing was held in the House Small Business Committee. In spite of all this – nothing has changed. We need your help.
On Thursday May 15, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas will introduce the Internet Radio Equality Act (IREA) as an amendment to the Orphan Works Bill (S. 2913) while it is being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee . As you know, the IREA would level the playing field for Internet radio webcasters and promote greater parity within the radio industry, while doing away with the discrimination that now forces webcasters to pay fees more than twice as high as their closest competition, cable and satellite radio.
You can help. At least one of your Senators is a Member of the Judiciary Committee and we need their support. Call them today and ask them to support independent artists, small businesses, and the future of Internet radio. You can find their phone number and talking points here: http://www.capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/alert_9738601.html. Ask your Senator to support the Brownback Amendment to S. 2913.
We need your help to remind Congress that though Internet radio is still on the air and artists are still being paid for their work by webcasters, nothing has been resolved and we need them to act.
On behalf of webcasters, artists and fellow Internet radio listeners everywhere, thank you. Let’s finish what we started a year ago.