SaveNetRadio speaks to Congress

 

The SaveNetRadio coalition went directly to Congress to ask for help forestalling a 300 to 1200 percent royalty rate increase that will destroy Internet radio on July 15th.

In Congress Today -

The SaveNetRadio coalition went directly to Congress to ask for help forestalling a 300 to 1200 percent royalty rate increase that will destroy Internet radio on July 15th.  During an hour long briefing at the House of Representatives this morning, Joe Kennedy, CEO of popular webcaster Pandora joined the CEO of National Public Radio, Ken Stern and Grammy-nominated SONiA of Baltimore’s disappear fear to speak to a standing-room-only group of House staffers about the immediate threat facing Internet radio and the importance of structural solution that would enable the industry survive and benefit artists around the country.  Today’s event was part of a three day march on Washington organized to raise awareness and support for legislation introduced in Congress last week that would save Net radio.

 

The Internet Radio Equality Act , H.R. 2060, introduced late last week by Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Donald Manzullo (R-IL) would reverse the devastating March 2nd ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) and is quickly gaining support in the House of Representatives.  Similar legislation is scheduled to be released this week in the Senate.  Both bills would vacate the CRB’s decision and set a 2006-2010 royalty rate at the same level currently paid by satellite radio services (7.5% of revenue.) as well as change the royalty rate-setting standard used in royalty arbitrations so that the standards applying to webcasters would align with the standard that applies to satellite radio royalty arbitrations. 

 

The SaveNetRadio coalition urges ALL Net radio listeners and independent artists who depend on Net radio for airplay to call your representatives in Congress and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 2060 – to learn how click Here