NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Marion, NC, United States, 04/18/2007 - With the deadline looming for retro active royalty rates and a $500.00 per channel administration payment internet radio could finally be silenced.

In recent activities the Copyright Royalty Board set up by congress denied appeals for a rehearing for the new music performance royalty rates, even though it is believed by many there was sufficient evidence to warrant such a rehearing. If congress does not step in before the May 15th 2007 deadline thousands of internet radio stations will be forced to close. The music diversity that has been widely received by the internet community will no longer exist.

A new coalition, SaveNetRadio.org, launched a grassroots campaign in hopes of getting congressional intervention in this matter. The coalition represents small webcasters, large webcasters, artists and labels that are not happy about the new rates. If this campaign is unsuccessful there is only legislative recourse which could easily take a year or more to get a result. That will be too late for the vast majority of internet radio stations. The May 15th deadline is drawing near quickly.

It would seem the fate of internet radio in the near future could very well be in the hands of a public outcry and congressional intervention. Interested parties should visit the SaveNetRadio.org website for more complete information and to contact their representatives if they wish. They offer several contact methods including faxing your letter directly from the website. Additionally they have petitions that can be signed online.

The reasoning behind these extremely higher rates has come under fire with many well known artists speaking out against them. Additionally the independent artists have realized their outlet for public exposure will now be gone and have spoken out against the rate increases. It leads one to question the motives for these large increases. Although it has been promoted as an increase for the benefit of music artists, many artists have stated that they receive little or no royalties from their works. Some say the labels simply take the payments. Given the facts one is left to make up their own mind.

Agency / Source: Webcasters Unite - Radio Amber

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