RBR has solicited industry feedback on today's national Day of Silence, with web radio streams going silent to protest the crippling fees approved by CRB.
WBEB Philadelphia will join the day of silence
We have a choice: Protest today with a Day of Silence or get out of the Streaming business. Sometime between now and 2010 we will all be forced to stop Streaming since it will cost us more than we could possibly make.
It reminds me of the competition for home delivery of milk in the forties and the saying that came out of it: "I am only losing 2 cents on a bottle of milk, but I will make it up in volume"
Jerry Lee, WBEB-FM Philadelphia owner
Original Hot97.com going silent, too
You were looking for comments/stories about tomorrow's Day of Silence. Attached is the copy that we will be using on the web site for ORIGINAL HOT 97.COM. It will replace the home page for the day. A slightly modified version has been turned into a PSA that will run all day "on the air" in place of our regular programming.
Joel Salkowitz, President
Sound Ideas Programming Consultants, llc
ORIGINAL HOT 97.COM IS GOING AWAY!!
June 26, 2007
Friends,
That's what could be happening in the next few weeks. The Copyright Royalty Board's (CRB) ridiculous new rates will likely force us and thousands of other internet broadcasters off the air. Today, ORIGINAL HOT 97.COM is joining with thousands of other broadcasters nationwide for a Day of Silence. Please use this time to call your Representative and Senators and ask them to cosponsor the Internet Radio Equity Act.
Follow the link on the SaveNetRadio banner on our home page above or you can go to www.live365.com/choice and follow the links from there. Find the name and number of your Representative and make a call or send an email.
We wholeheartedly support the rights of artists to be fairly compensated for their work. Nobody that we know expects to have the use of music for internet stations for free! But the fees proposed by the CRB and Sound Exchange…a 300% increase…will force us off the air and silence an important outlet for Dance music that is mostly ignored by commercial radio. Thousands of other internet radio stations that also support artists and music genres not available on AM or FM are threatened with extinction as well. If we go away, outlets that champion artists and support music that corporate radio ignores will be silenced. A promising new medium…and one that could eventually provide a legitimate new source of revenue to artists… will be crushed before it has a chance to get going. No business, large or small, can afford to pay out more than they take in and expect to survive!
Preserve your choice on radio NOW! Urge Congress to create parity in royalties for all radio formats NOW! AM and FM radio pay NOTHING…ZERO….NADA in performance royalties. We (internet broadcasters) are already paying ASCAP, BMI and SESCAC rights fees in addition to the current performance fees. Call your Senator and Congressman and tell them to support S.-1353 and H.R. 2060.
Copy this information and the links and post them on your own website, message board, blog or MySpace page. Make sure all your friends, fans and listeners know what is at stake!
You can help make a difference!!
99 HIT FM Day Of Silence
99 Hit FM (KADI-FM) in Springfield, MO will temporarily take its radio stations' webcasts off-line today, in support of a "Day of Silence" for webcasters. "We know that our stations have substantial audiences who enjoy the convenience of listening online," said Rod Kittleman, Program Director of 99 Hit FM. "We want everyone to be aware that we will not be financially able to continue to provide this service if listeners do not speak up! Broadcasters are willing to pay reasonable online royalties, but this ruling could mean the end of any and all internet radio." 99 Hit FM urges all listeners to support the Internet Radio Equality Act, Click here for details www.savenetradio.org
Silence of Streaming
We will participate in silencing the streaming of all four of our stations. We have many of our U.S. troops around the world that listen to our stations for their connection to "home". If the CRB/SoundExchange plan goes through as planned, we and hundreds of other stations will be forced to silence forever.
Thank you,
Margaret C. Perkins
President / CEO
First Natchez Radio Group
Natchez, MS
