WBGO.ORG's Web Stream and All Internet Radio is in Danger of Shutting Down Due to Pending Increases in Internet Royalty Rates

The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. The fees that broadcasters such as WBGO pay for the right to webcast their radio signals have been drastically increased by a recent ruling of the governing Copyright Royalty Board and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). Since the advent of web streaming, public radio's fees have been paid by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). If the pending rate increase is not reversed, the majority of public radio and independent webcasters may go silent because neither they nor the CPB can afford the new rates.

WBGO needs your help! The Internet Radio Equality Act has recently been introduced in both the House (H.R. 2060) and Senate (S. 1353) to save the Internet radio industry by reducing the fees that non-commercial broadcasters must pay. Please call your senators and your representative to ask them to co-sponsor this important legislation.

Use your zip code to search for contact info for your representatives at these sites:

U.S. Senate: www.senate.gov
U.S. House of Representatives: www.house.gov

CALL OR WRITE YOUR SENATORS AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE NOW TO ASK THEM TO CO-SPONSOR THE INTERNET RADIO EQUALITY ACT (S. 1353 IN THE SENATE AND H.R. 2060 IN THE HOUSE)!

Where can I find more information?

In addition to updates from WBGO, there are several places online where you can keep yourself informed on this issue, read press clippings, sign petitions, send emails and contribute comments. Some of these places include:

Save The Streams
http://www.savethestreams.org/

RAIN: Radio and Internet Newsletter
http://www.kurthanson.com/

Copyright Royalty Board
http://www.loc.gov/crb/