krj
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response 163 of 165:
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Jun 21 03:02 UTC 2002 |
Slashdot points to a bunch of stuff about the Librarian of Congress'
decision on webcasting royalty rates and record keeping requirements.
The short version is that the proposed rates were cut in half
-- the 50% discount for on-air radio broadcasters was eliminated,
setting the rate at $0.0007 per listener per song. Mainstream
media calls this a win for webcasters; Internet media says that
half of vastly-more-than-total-revenues is still more than total
revenues, and most independent webcasters in the USA are finished.
To make things worse, everyone who has webcasted has to pay a bill
for the four previous years' royalties, at this rate, and it's due
this October. Many independent and student stations are expected
to be bankrupted.
Slashdot readers report that some online webcasters have already
started to shut down. A few sympathetic congressmen are making
noises. The RIAA is complaining that the rate set by the Librarian
of Congress is too low.
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