The Last Days of Internet Radio?

Woke up this morning to this wonderful (mass) email from Pandora's founder, Tim Westergren. Apparently efforts to obtain a temporary stay from the Copyright Royalty Board's new royalties for Internet radio have been turned down by the U.S. Appeals Court in D.C. That means that, barring a miracle, the new rates go into effect on Monday.

As a final, last-ditch effort, organizers are asking for supporters of Internet radio to call you Senators and Representatives today and ask them to bring the Internet Radio Equality Act to the floor for an immediate vote. If this doesn't happen, the issue surely won't be brought up before Congress' August recess, and who knows when (or if) it will come up at all. Even worse, who knows how many stations will have disappeared in the interim.

If you listen to Internet radio, please join me in calling your Congresspeople this morning.

Here's Tim's email in its entirety:

Hi, it's Tim one more time...

Disaster looms! Today a federal court denied a plea to delay the massive increase in rates webcasters must pay the record labels. This means that, absent immediate Congressional action, the new ruinous royalty rates will be going into effect on Monday threatening the future of all internet radio.

This is a very dire situation and I'm writing to ask one more time for your support. The effort you've made over the past four months has been extraordinary and has forced the rapid introduction of the bill, but the committee process has been sluggish and we need to once again remind the representatives of the urgency of this issue. This is perhaps the most important phone call you can make for us.

Please call your Congressional representatives in the House and Senate and ask them to force immediate action on the Internet Radio Equality Act and bring the bill to a vote. It is critical that their phones begin ringing off the hook starting early in the morning. If it's busy, please try again later.

Congressperson Jerrold Nadler: (202)225-5635

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton: (202) 224-4451
Senator Charles E. Schumer: (202) 224-6542

I'm sorry that we have to keep asking you for this - but it's our only recourse. We are no match for the legal and legislative strength of the RIAA and we need your help.

Thank you again.

Gratefully,

-Tim Westergren
(Pandora founder)