Comments on: Net Radio Royalty Hike Delayed to July; SoundExchange, Friend of the Little Guy? http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/ The latest gear, software, and techniques for electronic music production and performance Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:45:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Peter Kirn http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169883 Peter Kirn Fri, 04 May 2007 02:28:56 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169883 Actually, the plan already sets rates through 2010. <blockquote>SoundExchange argues in favor of a monthly fee equal to the greater of: 30% of gross revenues or a performance rate beginning at $.0008 per performance in 2006 and increasing annually to $.0019 by 2010.</blockquote> That's already a stunning increase once it's aggregated across listeners -- particularly because of what it does to noncommercial stations. SoundExchange wants you to believe only big companies (Yahoo, Microsoft, ClearChannel) are involved. In fact, NPR, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, noncommercial religious stations, and College broadcast stations, along with free Internet-only stations all testified. The issue is, even if the per-play rate *appears* small, these stations don't have a business model to support it. The broadcasters and some Congressional lawmakers want an elected rate based on either revenues or performances. So it's not just the rate itself -- it's how it's applied. Actually, the plan already sets rates through 2010.

SoundExchange argues in favor of a monthly fee equal to the greater of: 30% of gross revenues or a performance rate beginning at $.0008 per performance in 2006 and increasing annually to $.0019 by 2010.

That’s already a stunning increase once it’s aggregated across listeners — particularly because of what it does to noncommercial stations. SoundExchange wants you to believe only big companies (Yahoo, Microsoft, ClearChannel) are involved. In fact, NPR, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, noncommercial religious stations, and College broadcast stations, along with free Internet-only stations all testified. The issue is, even if the per-play rate *appears* small, these stations don’t have a business model to support it.

The broadcasters and some Congressional lawmakers want an elected rate based on either revenues or performances. So it’s not just the rate itself — it’s how it’s applied.

]]> By: alan http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169875 alan Fri, 04 May 2007 02:14:17 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169875 SE = RIAA's sockpuppet. Look at SoundExchange's top positions - they're all ex-RIAA guys, all across the board. Their last hire? General counsel - ex-RIAA. Considering SE just got a bunch of new laws handed to them on a silver platter, and that they just hired yet another lawyer who used to work for the RIAA, an organization that sues and "aggressively pre-settles" with 12-year olds, deaf people, grandmothers, and innocent bystanders ... you certainly haven't seen the worst of it yet. This rate bump is nothing compared to what they've got lined up for the next 5 years, I guarantee it. SE = RIAA’s sockpuppet.

Look at SoundExchange’s top positions - they’re all ex-RIAA guys, all across the board. Their last hire? General counsel - ex-RIAA.

Considering SE just got a bunch of new laws handed to them on a silver platter, and that they just hired yet another lawyer who used to work for the RIAA, an organization that sues and “aggressively pre-settles” with 12-year olds, deaf people, grandmothers, and innocent bystanders … you certainly haven’t seen the worst of it yet.

This rate bump is nothing compared to what they’ve got lined up for the next 5 years, I guarantee it.

]]> By: Tony http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169776 Tony Thu, 03 May 2007 22:03:56 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169776 I wrote via savenetradio.org and heard back from "my" legislators. (One that I didn't hear from sponsored HR2060). I changed the pre-written message to represent that most of us will never get broadcast air time, and that the growth of netradio is an essential part of the new music scene. (I hope) I wrote via savenetradio.org and heard back from “my” legislators. (One that I didn’t hear from sponsored HR2060).

I changed the pre-written message to represent that most of us will never get broadcast air time, and that the growth of netradio is an essential part of the new music scene. (I hope)

]]> By: Peter Kirn http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169728 Peter Kirn Thu, 03 May 2007 19:53:42 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169728 Probably better than testifying at this point is lobbying and organizing a larger effort -- something to which everyone here could easily contribute. I'll post some additional resources, especially now that we have an additional two months. It's definitely important to keep the artist perspective in here. Probably better than testifying at this point is lobbying and organizing a larger effort — something to which everyone here could easily contribute. I’ll post some additional resources, especially now that we have an additional two months. It’s definitely important to keep the artist perspective in here.

]]> By: Brian http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169722 Brian Thu, 03 May 2007 19:48:09 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169722 bliss wrote, "Peter is the Messiah?" Ha! Only if he volunteers... BTW, I love cliqhop. Tuned in right now. bliss wrote, "Peter is the Messiah?"

Ha! Only if he volunteers… BTW, I love cliqhop. Tuned in right now.

]]> By: bliss http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169699 bliss Thu, 03 May 2007 18:55:47 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169699 Peter is the Messiah? Peter is the Messiah?

]]> By: Brian http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169657 Brian Thu, 03 May 2007 16:33:01 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169657 A friend once said to me, "You may not be involved in politics, but politics involves you." I strongly recommend you (readers) personally contact your representatives and inform them the best you can. Don't wait for a savior to come along to do a better job than you. When you do contact your reps, refer to The Inslee-Manzullo Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060. You might want to <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.2060:" title="Internet Radio Equality Act" rel="nofollow">read the bill</a>; it is unusually short and sweet. The 2 best resources at the moment (outside of CDMusic, of course ;-) are <a href="http://www.savenetradio.org/" title="SaveNetRadio.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.savenetradio.org/</a> <a href="http://somafm.com/crb/" title="Royalty Ruling Info" rel="nofollow">http://somafm.com/crb/</a> A friend once said to me, "You may not be involved in politics, but politics involves you."

I strongly recommend you (readers) personally contact your representatives and inform
them the best you can. Don’t wait for a savior to come along to do a better job than you.
When you do contact your reps, refer to The Inslee-Manzullo Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R.
2060. You might want to read the bill; it is unusually short and sweet.

The 2 best resources at the moment (outside of CDMusic, of course ;-) are

http://www.savenetradio.org/
http://somafm.com/crb/

]]> By: bliss http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169585 bliss Thu, 03 May 2007 13:06:07 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169585 Peter, maybe you can testify before congress on behalf of public radio and the independents? I typically listen to SomaFM stations. They currently have 11 stations and are exclusively listener supported. On their Cliqhop station I've discovered artists that <i>might</i> be netlabel artists, never mind being signed to traditional labels. It could be a good thing if someone who is not directly involved with public and independent radio testified on their behalf. Someone whose viewpoint is more objective, who understands and could frame what is about to happen in clear and common language. Someone who could explain what the possible impact would be to stations that have goals and responsibilities that are tied directly and exclusively to the public interest. Peter, maybe you can testify before congress on behalf of public radio and the independents? I typically listen to SomaFM stations. They currently have 11 stations and are exclusively listener supported. On their Cliqhop station I’ve discovered artists that might be netlabel artists, never mind being signed to traditional labels. It could be a good thing if someone who is not directly involved with public and independent radio testified on their behalf. Someone whose viewpoint is more objective, who understands and could frame what is about to happen in clear and common language. Someone who could explain what the possible impact would be to stations that have goals and responsibilities that are tied directly and exclusively to the public interest.

]]> By: Brian http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169556 Brian Thu, 03 May 2007 11:35:25 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169556 Dave, go to SaveNetRadio.org to learn how to get involved. Dave, go to SaveNetRadio.org to learn how to get involved.

]]> By: Dave http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169547 Dave Thu, 03 May 2007 11:13:03 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/05/02/net-radio-royalty-hike-delayed-to-july-soundexchange-friend-of-the-little-guy/#comment-169547 Im glad its been delayed a while, but what can the little guy sitting at home, like a lot of your readers, do to show how we feel? Im glad its been delayed a while, but what can the little guy sitting at home, like a lot of your readers, do to show how we feel?

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