14 DAY TRIAL // Now, some may say that the title for this piece of news is rather too strong. Well, I say it's the kindest one I could think of! Let me quote you some words from one of the AccuRadio staff (Brendon Silver) and then, you be the judge: ""Under the judges' decision, we owe $600,000 for 2006 -- which is about 150% of our total revenues! That would absolutely bankrupt us and will force us to shut down. If these rates stand, and of course I hope they won't, but if they do, I believe we'll see a virtual shutdown all of U.S. webcasting. And that will be bad for listeners, webcasters, musicians, and the record industry alike."
Now, news. Yesterday, the Copyright Royalty Board (known as CRB) has denied the appeal to its previous March 1st ruling, which stated the growth of royalty fees for online radio broadcasters. The webcasters had appealed this ruling and demanded for another hearing but it looks like their request fell upon deaf ears.
In the good "bad corporate" tradition, the CRB emitted a very vague and bitter-language document such as to motivate their denial; far from offering real and reasonable reasons for their action, the CRB actually said something like a "we don't give a rusty nickel on your move" in a very politically correct manner; just look at this: "[...] none of the moving parties has made a sufficient showing of new evidence or clear error or manifest injustice that would warrant rehearing. On the contrary...most of the parties' arguments in support of a rehearing or reconsideration merely restate arguments that were made or evidence that was presented during the proceeding." How should anyone interpret such words if not "c'mon, come with something new, your initial arguments suck"...?
Now, one more thing: it looks like the CRB has completely left out of the equation that only a couple of internet-based radios will still be able to withstand such burdening taxes while others will simply close down; the nastiest thing with small independent radios is that they are responsible with promoting the biggest fraction in all indie music on Earth. Muting independent music means stagnation in the music industry at the cost of CRB's stubbornness and money-hunger. Funny how the RIAA starts to slowly (but steadily) kick the bucket and another sinister organization comes in its stead...
Finally, the webcasters seem to have become more determinate: they've sworn revenge and started to move things in a more serious way. As they rally all the supportive forces around the new banner of the Savenetradio.org, the webcasters are most likely to go to the Congress with their petitions and appeal; the same Congress which has previously released regulations for the online broadcasting field exactly to support and develop this industry in the terms of more competition between the services offered by stations, the deals coming from labels and the proper music from the artists themselves. Now it seems that the CRB does give little thought to such altogether nice ideas and care just for the sums of money.
Until further notice, here's a description of the new body defending the net radio as given by the members themselves: "The SaveNetRadio coalition is made up of artists, labels, listeners, and webcasters. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring an event, making a donation, or would like to become a leader in the fight to save Internet radio. The recent ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board to increase webcasters' royalty rates between 300 and 1200 percent over the next 5 years jeopardizes the industry and threatens to homogenize Internet radio."
In case you really do care about net radio, please check the SaveNetRadio website and find out how can you take legal action.