Internet radio to go dark next week
By Jonathan Schlaffer
Internet radio broadcasters are facing the possibility of paying much higher royalty fees to the record companies. Many of the smaller broadcasters won’t be able to afford it and even larger ones like Live365 may not be able to. As part of an organized protest, many internet radio stations will go silent on June 26.
Besides Live356, AccuRadio.com has also signed on as have a number of other smaller broadcasters. The only thing to be heard during the “day of silence” will be a public service announcement regarding the rate hikes and its (negative) impact on streaming internet radio stations.
Cnet claims that Yahoo, RealNetworks and Pandora are also expected to sign on. If the “day of silence” is able to stave off or indefinitely postpone the rate hikes, I’m all for it. The question is what are we all going to listen to on that day? Bring your iPods or music libraries to work because it is going to be a long day without the stations.
There is still chance for a reprieve to kick in before July 15, when the rate hikes are supposed to kick in.
The smaller broadcasters have a lot more to lose than the larger ones. As long as the larger ones can survive, I’ll be content, not happy but content.
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Stumble It!
June 22nd, 2007
This bullshit proves that the heavies of the recording industry are absolutely intent on their own destruction.
If it wasn’t for radio, both internet and traditional broadcasting, it would be easily arguable that the record companies would be nowhere near as wealthy and influential as they have become. Indeed, one could argue that they would not exist.
This is a classic case of greed gone wrong. if it wasn’t for the fact that the record companies have all the money, this would also be a prime example of biting the hand that feeds.