Acoustic Pie Radio will be 5 years old on July 17th. Or, at least, if the station survives until then, that is. Because that’s exactly one day after the royalty increases will go into effect and there are serious doubts whether Acoustic Pie will still be broadcasting after that date.
Internet radio has paid millions of dollars in royalty fees since its inception. And at a higher rate than either satellite or traditional broadcast radio. But for some reason, Internet radio has now been singled out for an even larger increase in fees ~ an increase that is expected to force most of us off the Internet. My representative, Republican Brian Bilbray of California, has explained to me that Acoustic Pie is an “inefficient market participant” that should not survive if it cannot afford the new arbitrarily instituted royalty increases. But Acoustic Pie isn’t a business at all. Acoustic Pie Radio is an outlet for free promotion for the musicians writing and performing the music that I love. It is a time-consuming and pocket-draining passion which I pursue in the hopes of finding new fans for my favorite artists. Can you see why the Arts are in trouble in this country? Because our representatives cannot recognize value unless it is counted in dollars.
The Internet Radio Equality Act would set the increases to the same rate paid by satellite radio. We’re only asking that the increase not be set so high as to endanger the diversity and easy access for independent artists that makes Internet radio so wonderful.
Please contact your senators today and ask them to support the Internet Radio Equality Act. SaveNetRadio.org makes it easy. And it’s Acoustic Pie’s very best hope of celebrating its 5-year anniversary this month.
Thanks for reading, thanks for listening!
~Kelley
Here’s that link again for contacting your senators: SaveNetRadio.org
The Acoustic Pie Blog 