As broadcasters and Webcasters struggle to find a way to respond to the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Rate Panel's recommendations regarding streaming music royalties, the "RAIN: Radio And Internet News" site has launched a Web-based initiative to help them.
RAIN publisher Kurt Hanson said the "Save Internet Radio.org" site is an effort to help the Internet radio industry coordinate various initiatives underway in response to the recent CARP ruling on Internet radio royalty rates.
Only the parties that participated in CARP's proceedings may submit comments to the Librarian of Congress on the issue, preventing many radio stations and Webcasters from having a direct voice in the attempt to dissuade the LOC to reject the recommended rates.
The LOC is charged with accepting or rejecting the CARP's recommendations by May 21.
Many say if adopted, the CARP recommendations will kill Internet radio. The ruling would require commercial radio stations and Webcasters to pay 7 cents per performance per listener of any work or song simulcast over the Internet as part of regular radio programming. That figure rises to 14 cents per performance for any work Webcast with no accompanying radio broadcast.
"Their recommendations represent a royalty rate that is, effectively, more than 200 percent of the typical Webcaster's revenues," Hanson said.
Several analysts expert the matter to be eventually decided by Congress.