Where There’s Power, There’s Dissent: SaveNetRadio Committed to Fight Internet Royalty Hikes
By Mr P on 04-17-2007
As reported in March, the new royalty regulations created by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), in which internet radio rates will dramatically increase 149% over the 1999-2005 period, pissed off NPR. "These new rates, at least 20 times more than what stations have paid in the past, treat us as if we were commercial radio — although by its nature, public radio cannot increase revenue from more listeners or more content, the factors that set this new rate," said NPR's Andi Sporkin.
Since then, the internet royalty hike has generated dissent aplenty. The Digital Media Association (DiMA), Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, Inc., Small Commercial Webcasters, and National Public Radio (NPR) used their pull on March 20 to get an order to allow motions for a rehearing. It seemed at least somewhat hopeful that the CRB would reconsider the rates that will, among other things, bankrupt small-time internet radio stations, cripple independent artists, homogenize internet radio, and of course piss off TMT.
But to the dismay of radio peeps and humans all over, the CRB yesterday officially denied motions for a rehearing (read the PDF here): "Having reviewed all motions, responses to those motions, and written arguments, the Judges now deny all such motions," stated the five-page document. "We find, however, that none of the moving parties have made a sufficient showing of new evidence or a clear error or manifest injustice that would warrant a rehearing."
While organizations that represent major recording labels and artists, like SoundExchange, applauded the CRB's denial, various stations and artists effectively said "fuck off" by announcing yesterday a new group called SaveNetRadio, a group committed to fighting the rates. Although SaveNetRadio's member list has not been revealed, it received public support from organizations like Live365 and Pandora.
"Before this ruling was handed down, the vast majority of webcasters were barely making ends meet as internet radio advertising revenue is just beginning to develop," said the group in a statement. "Without a doubt, most internet radio services will go bankrupt and cease webcasting if this royalty rate is not reversed by the Congress, and webcasters' demise will mean a great loss of creative and diverse radio." Various humans at my local record shop had this to add: "Fuck the CRB."
And for your reference, check out the new rates established by the CRB (from Live365):
Operation Ivy’s Energy Gets Reissue Drug Treatment
By Mango Starr on 04-17-2007
Before Tim Armstrong (Rancid) collaborated with diarrhea like Pink, Gwen Stefani, and Kelly Osbourne, he was actually pretty cool when he played in the ska punk Bay Area group Operation Ivy in the late '80s. Op Ivy was the shit back then, and after all these years, they still have a strong cult following. I was never cool/dumb enough to sport a mohawk, but I did memorize just about every song on Op Ivy's Energy LP. Plus, one time I played "Bombshell" for this cute girl in my German class, and I swear her left boob touched my elbow when the bell rang. Accident? Fucking doubt it!!
Energy was released on Lookout! back in May 1989. Not only was it the same month Sweet Children performed as "Green Day" for the first time, but it was the same month Operation Ivy broke up. Still, the album went on its own legacy, selling like hot cakes for years. But since Lookout! managed money like my uncle Brent (he sucked at managing money), Energy was pulled from their catalog in 2006 and has since been out-of-print.
But on May 1, Rancid Records will be reissuing the record (this is, what, the fourth reissue or so now?), completely remastered with a digipak case. It'll feature all 19 tracks from the original album, plus bonus music that was released in several other reissues, including the band's Hectic EP. No reunion is in sight (thank god), but you can bet your Girbaud jeans that left boobs the world over will be reuniting over this shit, possibly squirting milk out of them by now -- who knows, right? Life is so weird and awesome.
