The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). Today was a day of radio silence to encourage people to take action.

So that is what I did. I am calling everyone I know to get them to contact their congressional representatives. I will urge them to call everyone they know. Hopefully we can start a chain reaction.

Here is what you can do.

Send an email:

http://www.capwiz.com/thenation/issues/alert/?alertid=9796036

Call Congress:

You will need to know your complete zip code which you can lookup using the USPS site.

Lookup Representative:
http://www.house.gov/

Lookup Senator:
http://www.senate.gov/

Text to follow when you call:

Talking Points:
1) I am a constituent and I’m calling to ask you to save Internet radio by co-sponsoring the Internet Radio Equality Act.
2) The Copyright Royalty Board’s decision to increase royalty rates for webcasters is going to turn off my Internet radio and I do NOT want that to happen. Please co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act.
3) I believe that artists should be fairly compensated for the music they make, but putting my webcasters out of business will only hurt artists more. They depend on Internet radio to get their music out to fans and build new audiences. When the webcasters go off the air, so do artists. Please co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act.
4) Internet radio is one of the only bright spots for independent music and diversity. We NEED Internet radio. Don’t turn it off. Co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act.
5) (If you are an artist) Internet radio enables artists like myself to reach fans throughout the country and enjoy exposure and airplay that we may otherwise have not received. I’m asking you to co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act.

Don’t forget to sign the other petitions to make a difference.