Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Internet Radio Royalty Rate Due Date Pushed Back

FMQB posts that the Copyright Royalty Board has delayed the deadline for royalty payments from web-based radio broadcasters. The date has been moved from May 15 to July 15, giving Internet radio stations and other interested parties (like, maybe the 57 million weekly listeners) an extra 45 days to get their act together and appeal this despicable thing. NPR already has their appeal in the works, and will reportedly be filed soon.

Just as crucial is the need to contact your Congressional Representative to show your support for the Internet Radio Equality Act. You can easily find out who your representative is by going to the Act Now page on the SaveNetRadio.org website and clicking on "Call your members of Congress" link. Enter your zip code, then just dial the phone number and follow the instructions provided on the page. Just think of it as one more way of sticking it to the man. In this case, the man happens to be an 18-member board of trustees formed by the RIAA and instructed to crush Internet radio: SoundExchange.

And if you're feeling especially generous with your time, drop an email to Representatives Jay Inslee and Donald Manzullo to say, "Thanks," for their effort in introducing this important piece of bipartisan legislation.