Saving Streaming + My Experience

A week ago.... Fred Jacobs wrote a great piece on the steps your station should take to help the effort to save internet radio and help get HR 2060 passed. Read here.

My experience: I did contact my Congressman (Mike Rogers R-MI) to express my views and ask for his support of HR 2060. I was a tad disappointed with his reply - here it is - dated April 30th:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding your concern with the Copyright Royalty Board's (CRB) recent decision to increase the royalty rates charged to web-based music broadcasts. It is good to hear from you.

I understand your concern that federal copyright law has led to a potential double standard in royalty rates paid by web broadcasters versus traditional over-the-air radio. As you may know, the CRB is currently reviewing their previous decision and I am hopeful that a more amendable solution can be found. However, I also believe this case is another example of the need for fundamental reform of our national copyright system. A successful digital copyright system will have to be built on the principle of respect for the rights copyright holders, producers, broadcasters and consumers.

Huh? The CRB had already reviewed their decision and affirmed it on April 16th!. HR 2060 was introduced on April 26th! This scares me.

I never expressed any concerns over a "double standard"; I simply made the point that proposed CRB rates puts webcasters in jeopardy and asked for support on the new bill. Yes - I followed up. No reply...yet.