Call to Action

[Tombie]

(This email is sent to allwho were Affiliates as of a few days ago.) The first step in moving forward toregain reduced fees by bringing back the Small Webcasters Agreement is here andthe time has arrived. While my attorneys continue to work behind the scenes, wewebcasters and providers need to unite and start building momentum. This firstphase is primarily to get behind a unified group pushing for success and begintelling our story to all who will listen and especially to those who canultimately influence the outcome.

 

Four initial steps:

 

1) I encourage you to send this email to your stream host providers, to otherwebcasters, anyone else you think of that would get involved.

 

2) Sign up yourself and encourage your listeners to sign up at http://www.radiodiversity.org/ I may notalways promote this website, John Draper, here at StreamLicensing, has a betaversion that has been ready for months. However, at this time I think it iswiser to unite with this already recognized group. If as time moves forward weneed to use our own website and action page I'll let you know. So I'mencouraging you to move as many as possible to sign up at http://www.radiodiversity.org/ At leastone Affiliate also has a good call-to-action website that I maybe sharing inthe future.

 

3) If you haven't already please read the following two articles for morebackground information. Once you have digested them, please share them with asmany as you possibly can: As you know, legislative action is where it will haveto go ultimately. http://www.radioworld.com/article/crb-ruling-is-%E2%80%9Ccrushingly-bad-news%E2%80%9D-for-microcasters/277856and the second article: http://rainnews.com/small-webcasters-enter-the-unknown-of-2016/ As you read, please note that StreamLicensing fees are not being presentlybased on the CRB/SoundExchange commercial rate. However, if we don'tbring back the Small Webcasters Agreement before the end of the year, our feeswill have to increase to the commercial level as shown in these news articles.

 

4) Putting links to the pages referenced in 2 and 3, above on your websiteswould be a great help as you promote bringing back the Small Webcasters Feestructure.

 

We small broadcasters have been hit with two major increases: ASCAP andCRB/SoundExchange. We can't do much about ASCAP other than pay it, but we havethe opportunity to bring rates back at least partially to affordable levels. Wecan do this as we unite and work what is ultimately going to be a legislative processto regain affordable performance fees as administered by SoundExchange.

 

I won't be able to reply individually to your responses to this email but Iwant to thank your for all you are doing to help small webcasters have acontinued future.

 

Marvin

[cptsparkle]

I've signed every petition I can find online.

 

I've eagerly searched out as much information as I can find online.

 

I have written my congressman and expressed m views in keeping the SWA intact and in-place.

 

I still have to wonder how the free streaming sites can just maintain their status quo and how can these changes not affect them?

[djgary72]

I still have to wonder how the free streaming sites can just maintain their status quo and how can these changes not affect them?

 

The free streaming sites are usually full of pirate broadcasters anyway. It's the person streaming who's responsible fort the Licensing not the stream provider. Hence why a lot of stream hosts haven't got into the licensing side of things.

 

Call me Septic Peg! But I doubt signing petition after petition is going to get anyone anywhere TBH ... People setup up petitions for absolutely anything on the net these days so getting people in Authority to take notice of it is going to be much harder IMHO!

 

The Politicians in the UK Parliament don't seem to take notice of online petitions & I'd imagine Congress is likely to be the same.

 

Not being defeatist just being a realist! As I've said before the RIAA and the record companies have got their wish it's been wanting to kill off Small internet broadcasters for YEARS!

 

When I got into Internet radio in 2002 all I kept hearing from other broadcasters at the time was the RIAA was bad news...and they didn't seem to care much for streaming radio.

 

Nothing much appears to have changed in the 14 years since.

 

I hope you can get the royalty rates back for small webcasters but it's not going to be easy. Until then it's going to be a rich mans game...

Edited January 22, 2016 by djgary72

[SlamminTunes]

Ive created a PSA for RadioDiversity.org and I am actively distributing it. Please feel free to download and use on your stations and if you know of any other stations please feel free to share with them.

 

http://slammintunes.com/PSA-RadioDiversity.zip

[shoutcaststreaming]

Thank you .. it sounds great and I'm now playing it every 45 minutes.

[2prfm.com]

Ditto, up and running every 50 mins or so. Edited January 25, 2016 by 2prfm.com

[mjordan]

High rotation for our ads, so, we will play it twice an hour, and in our podcasts.

[SlamminTunes]

Thanks for the feedback. Lets keep sharing it because we are all in this together and need to work together for the sake of internet radio.

[bnawtee]

Do we know if these rules affect Podcasters or Online Radio broadcasters? Is there a difference in the eyes of the law?