Eliot van Buskirk of Wired News files an update on the webcasting royalty rate crisis, and tells BoingBoing:
The basic gist is that web radio is saved. SoundExchange promised in
front of Congress Thursday that they will NOT collect the disastrous new
royalty rates from webcasters, and the two parties will negotiate new
rates going forward, without webcasters being driven offline on
Monday, when the royalties were due. Yay!
Reader comment: Daniel from Accuradio.com says,
Xeni, Love your show, first time calling in. Just read your link to Eliot's Wired piece. Thanks for the great coverage in BB on the issue.
I'm a bit worried about the message "Net radio is saved!" because, technically, this isn't quite true yet. Yes, this is a HUGE development, but the legislation that would set fair and equitable royalty rates for Internet radio AND change the way those rates are determined in the future (which would involve changing the language of the DMCA, a big score indeed), the Internet Radio Equality Act, needs continued support from listeners.
Yesterday's development basically saves us from assured destruction, but a settlement between the two sides doesn't necessarily ensure webcasters an equal, level playing field with other broadcast media w/r/t royalty rates. The Internet Radio Equality Act does.
My bottom line: We need listeners' continued support. While it may not be untrue that we are "saved" to some degree, I'm afraid that the sounding the "all clear" could slow our momentum as it is reaching it's highest pitch.
