Amid the bailout frenzy on Capitol Hill this weekend, the House on Saturday passed a bill that would give its blessing to any compromise reached between Internet radio stations and copyright holders over royalty fees.
“There may now be a light at the end of the tunnel in the fight over Internet radio royalties," bill sponsor Jay Inslee, a Washington Democrat, said in a Sunday statement.
The bill, the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008, guarantees that if Internet radio and the copyright holders can reach a deal over royalty rates, “Uncle Sam will not get in the way," Inslee said.
Internet radio stations like Pandora are contesting a March 2007 Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision that dramatically increased the royalty rates Internet radio stations were forced to pay. Web radio station Pandora, for example, said that under the CRB rules, it would have to hand over $18 million of its expected $25 million in 2008 revenue to cover royalty fees – a price that would be financially ruinous.
Inslee also cited Washington-based Big R radio, which would have incurred royalty rates that exceeded its revenue by 150 percent, he said.
“There may now be a light at the end of the tunnel in the fight over Internet radio royalties," bill sponsor Jay Inslee, a Washington Democrat, said in a Sunday statement.
The bill, the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008, guarantees that if Internet radio and the copyright holders can reach a deal over royalty rates, “Uncle Sam will not get in the way," Inslee said.
Internet radio stations like Pandora are contesting a March 2007 Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision that dramatically increased the royalty rates Internet radio stations were forced to pay. Web radio station Pandora, for example, said that under the CRB rules, it would have to hand over $18 million of its expected $25 million in 2008 revenue to cover royalty fees – a price that would be financially ruinous.
Inslee also cited Washington-based Big R radio, which would have incurred royalty rates that exceeded its revenue by 150 percent, he said.
