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Published by Randall Krause on Monday, January 29, 2007  [Permalink] [Return to Top]

Actions Speak Louder than Words

How the Recording Industry Offers Its Consolation to Webcasters

I recently came across the following statements from a 2002 press release on the RIAA Website. Granted, this opinion of small Webcasters may have changed somewhat since that time. However, for all of the proclaimed merits of the small Webcaster community, the recording industry never justifies its exorbitant royalty rates with any real foresight into the economic consequences for small Webcasters. Certainly the RIAA's intent may have been to pacify nay-sayers, but this type of questionable propaganda will not go unnoticed forever.

The Myths & Facts: Internet Radio Fairness Act (Sept 27, 2002):

"Myth: The major record labels and the RIAA don't support the nascent webcasting industry and want small webcasters to pay royalty rates that are so high that no small webcaster will be able to stay in business.

"Fact: The major record labels and recording artists want 'small' webcasters to succeed. At a time when enormous consolidation is occurring in the traditional radio industry, the diversity of music choices provided by webcasters is great for consumers and artists."

Perhaps it is time for a followup press release, "The Ironies and Mistruths of the RIAA."

Randall Krause
Small Webcaster Community Initiative
info@smallwebcaster.org

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