(Radio And Internet Newsletter, RAIN - April 26, 2007)
As the entire Internet Radio industry faces shutdown on May 15 Congress has entered the fray.  Yesterday, Rep. Jay Inslee (D - WA) and eight cosponsors introduced the The Internet Radio Equality Act.  The Act injects a strong dose of reality into the current situation by cancelling the Copyright Royalty Board's fee structure and setting new fees equal to what satellite radio currently pays.  Two other key areas set the minimum annual fee to be no higher than $500 and also establishes a percentage of revenue rate for smaller webcasters.

The Act is expected to draw several more cosponsors.  Those who listen to and value Internet Radio are encouraged to contact their representatives in Washington and urge them to support this bill.  Learn more about this new development and how you can support it by going to SaveNetRadio.org.

(Story Link: KurtHanson.com) 

Issues are finally resolved and G-town Radio is back on the air.  New music is on most of the playlists. Tune in now.

Quick reminder, the Germantown Poetry Festival is two weeks away.  Learn more here and stay tuned for more details.  Visit G-town News section of the site for more local news and announcements. 

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Thanks!!
Jim

Be sure to check out our new section, G-town News.  Your new location for local announcements, news stories and commentary.  We have two new posts on exciting poetry events happening in the coming weeks.  Also look for some photos this week from the March for Peace held this past Saturday (March 17) on Germantown Ave and in Vernon Park.

If you have news, community announcements or would like to write a commentary on local events send us an email at: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

As many of you already know the fate of Internet Radio was dealt a serious blow on March 2.  A group called the Copyright Royalty Board announced a new royalty structure that would take the vast majority of webcasters off the air and force the largest stations to owe billions of dollars in fees. 

The rates, retro-active to 2006, add up to over 100% of many internet radio stations entire revenue.  The rates are supposed to go to the performers of the material and is handled by the group SoundExchange, a spinoff of the RIAA (the recording industry's lobbying group).  Both of these organizations have often worked against consumers and music lovers, not to mention the artists, to line their own pockets at the expense of future earnings.  This particular ruling weighs heavily in their favor.  At the very least they have substantial leveraging power in negotiating a 'better' rate with webcasters.  The involvement of lawmakers and the general public is crucial to letting the CRB and the RIAA know this proposed rate schedule is unacceptable and must be re-negotiated in good faith.

You can get involved by clicking on the link at the top of the home page, signing the petition and learning more about this story.  The site is SaveTheStreams.org.  For thorough coverage of this story we encourage you to visit the Radio and Internet Newsletter (RAIN) by Kurt Hanson.  This site has been a champion of Internet Radio from the beginning and an important gathering place for news on this revolutionary new media format.  If you have ever listened to Internet Radio and valued what you heard as something unique and important you owe it to yourself to lend your voice to this cause.