Silent Internet this Coming Tuesday...

Yes, my friends, on June 26, the Internet will be all quiet. We get the most unusual emails in our box from our business (more info on this to follow). However, here is an email about what's going to happen to webcasting on Tuesday:


The Day the Web Goes Silent
Jason Lee Miller Staff Writer

Not a moment of silence, but a full day of silence is planned by US-based webcasters, lots of them, in protest of the Copyright Royalty Board's increase in royalty rates. Internet radio stations argue the rate hikes are disproportionate and will shut down the entire Web radio industry.

Next Tuesday, June 26, thousands of US webcasters will go silent, including big names like Yahoo, Rhapsody, MTVOnline, and Pandora, as well as more local offerings like BluegrassCountry.org/WAMU.org and RadioMilwaukee.

Some webcasters will cut off their streams entirely while others will play static, ocean sounds, or similar fare with periodic public service announcements of what is happening.

"The arbitrary and drastic rate increases set by the Copyright Royalty Board on March 2nd threaten the very livelihood of thousands of webcasters and their millions of listeners throughout the country," said Jake Ward, a spokesperson for the SaveNetRadio Coalition.

"The campaign to save Internet radio - a genuine grassroots movement comprised of hundreds of thousands of webcasters, artists and independent labels, and Net radio listeners - has quickly brought this issue to the national forefront and the halls of Congress, but there is still more to be done before the approaching deadline of July 15th.

"On Tuesday, thousands of webcasters will call on their millions of listeners to join the fight to save Internet radio and contact their Congressional representatives to ask for their support of the Internet Radio Equality Act."

After July 15, the CRB plans to impose its new rates, a policy that is retroactive, requiring Net radio providers pay the new rates for the previous 17 months as well.

The complete list on Internet radio stations participating in the Day of Silence are as follows:

Yahoo! WPNA (Oak Park, IL),
Live365 stations, 60's Chicks Radio/Seasons &
Rhapsody, Celebrations Radio,
MTV Online, STAR 107.9,
AccuRadio, WRPS/WebRadioPugetSound,
KCRW (Santa Monica, CA) Puregold Rock 'N Roll,
Pandora, NeverEndingWonder Radio,
Radioio, RadioMilwaukee,
DigitallyImported, BAGeL Radio,
RadioParadise, Gotradio/100hitz,
3WK, KDUN (Reedsport, OR),
myMVY, GDRadio.net,
Wizard Radio, KQLZ (Los Angeles, CA),
Born Again Radio, KXPR/KXJZ (Sacramento, CA),
Pearadio.com, NiceNoise.Net,
Ear.fm, BlackLight Radio,
WGLI (Bablylon, NY), Pure Pop 24/7,
WMUK (Kalamazoo, MI), Smooth Jazz and More,
Head-On Radio Network, Reggae Nostalgia,
Zecom/Gemz Radio, WCH Radio/The Wave,
monkeygrip music cafe, WYGS Southern Gospel Radio
KFCF (Fresno, CA), Network,
LuckySevenRadio.com BluegrassCountry.org/WAMU.
Blue Power/Guitar Speak


Thought everyone might like to read what's going to happen on Tuesday when they can't HEAR anything on the net!

Lots of love,
Cathy
8^ )