Save Internet Radio
Your favorite internet radio stations
are at risk. Higher royalty rates could
kill the small webcaster. You can help!
CLICK HERE.
The SHARE! High School Exchange
Program is seeking Host families for
the 2007-2008 fall semester or academic year. Families
need not have
children in their home to qualify and will provide a
bed, meals, and
caring home environment. Students are between the ages
of 15-18, have their
own medical insurance, spending money, and are from more
than 30
different countries. If you have ever thought about
hosting an exchange
student, now is the time to call for more information.
Call today: Wendy
Gray 409-727-0248 or the Southeast Regional Office at
1-800-616-3738.
Welcome to Beaumont Live!
Internet Radio!
Beaumont Live! is
dedicated to promoting and playing musicians from
Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.
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Help Internet
Radio Avoid Extinction
Corporate interests are hard at working making
sure you don't have a choice because they make
more money when you have no choices.
Who, What and When
On March 2, 2007, The CRB approved royalty rates
that will bury any small webcaster, and create
a heavy burden even for big broadcasters like
Yahoo, AOL Music and Pandora. How high will these
rates be? Around 100% of a small webcasters revenue,
give or take a few points, in most cases.
How did this happen?
The RIAA told the CRB that's
what they wanted, and the CRB just gave it to them.
Who are the the RIAA and CRB?
RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) is a
lobbying group formed by the five largest record labels.
They are embedded in Washington D.C. They make sure
laws are written to keep them rich, no matter what.
They made headlines a few years ago opening lawsuits
against elderly people, single mothers and children
for trading music online, even though some of them
didn't even have computers. Check out the latest
RIAA headlines.
The CRB (Copyright Royalty Board) is
part of the US
Copyright Office. The Board is charged with determining
the royalty rates that would be determined by a willing
buyer and a willing seller in a marketplace transaction.
They decided to jack the rates beyond a broadcasters
means despite decades of royalty rates being 1 - 2% of
broadcaster revenue. Raise your right hand if you want
to take away consumer choice, hurt working artists,
damage small record labels and put small webcasters
out of business.
I do not support The Copyright
Royalty Board's (CRB)
March 2nd decision to substantially increase royalty
rates. Not only will it impact my choices, but the
Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA)
manipulation of these rates, and the CRB's indifference
will hurt working artists, damage small record labels
and force law abiding small webcasters, already paying
a large portion of their revenue per month in royalties,
out of business. This decision will also damage hundreds
of small businesses providing goods and services to
working artists, small record labels and small
webcasters.
I respectfully ask that you evaluate the CRB decision
and
do whatever is necessary to establish a reasonable
royalty
rate for all the parties involved.
