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Net radio broadcasters have reached a deal with SoundExchange, the group that collects royalty fees for record labels, that will put a $50,000 cap on royalties for individual broadcasters. The cap will apply to broadcasters as a whole. Individual channels will be subject to a $500 minimum, but services like Live365 and Last.fm that broadcast thousands of channels will only pay up to the $50,000 ceiling.

“We are encouraged by today’s announcement,” said Jake Ward, a spokesperson for the SaveNetRadio coalition in a press release (PDF). “This agreement is a clear sign of progress in the ongoing negotiations between webcasters and SoundExchange and a very good first step toward a viable solution, but it is just the beginning. As the negotiation of recording royalty rates and terms continues, SaveNetRadio urges everyone involved to work in good faith toward a resolution.” Ward’s remarks indicate that this agreement is still not ideal for net radio companies.

Webcasters will also agree to provide SoundExchange with an annual record of every song played and the Digital Music Association, which represents a large number of web broadcasters, will work with SoundExchange to look into the practice of “streamripping,” in which listeners record songs from the radio stream. Discussions over per song royalty rates on ongoing.

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Congressman Jay Inslee and eight cosponsors have introduced the Internet Radio Equality Act, designed to combat the recent rate hike implemented by the Copyright Royalty Board.

If no action is taken, royalty rates on internet music broadcasts will jump significantly on May 15th, potentially putting many small netcasters out of business.

Among other things, the new bill would:

• Nullify the Royalty Board decision.
• Change the arbitration process for internet radio rate setting.
• Establish that the minimum annual royalty a netcaster has to pay can be no higher than $500.
• Set a transitional royalty rate that is the same as the rate paid by satellite broadcasters.

The bill gives the save net radio crowd a chance to rally behind a specific action. Up until now, they’d been asking folks to write their local members of Congress to demand action. Now they’re asking for people to call legislators and ask them to support the bill.

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Think I’m kidding? The picture to the left should explain it all. I am asking you to get involved today! The recent ruling against Internet Radio by the copyright board judge is going to require and all out battle. The only way you can save Internet Radio, Webcasters, and media streaming to your mobile devices is to get mad and demand that congress do something about this now! The RIAA goal is to destroy thousands of independent Internet Radio stations and unless something is done immediately streaming sites are going to be going off the air effective immediately!

SaveNetRadio.org

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A new bill introduced in the US Senate this week would force satellite, digital, and Internet radio providers (but not over-the-air radio) to implement measures designed to restrict the ability of listeners to record audio from the services. Called the “Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights Holders in Music Act” (PERFORM), the bill is sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Joseph Biden (D-DE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

If the name of the bill sounds familiar, it should. The bill was originally introduced in April 2006 with the support of the RIAA. It died in committee, but the senators are hopeful that the bill will pass this time around.

Like its predecessor, the new legislation would require content protection on all satellite radio broadcasts along with cable and Internet broadcasts. Broadcasters would be required to “use reasonably available and economically reasonable technology to prevent music theft.” But that’s not bad for consumers, says Sen. Feinstein, who tells us that “consumers’ current recording habits” will not be inhibited as they will still be allowed to record by time period or station. However, they would be prevented from automatically cherry-picking all the Shakira songs from the services. continue reading…