Internet radio survives (for the time being)

About 70 million people per month listen to Internet radio stations on their computers. That includes everything from paid subsciption services to your nextdoor neighbor who streams nothing but Christmas music 24/7 for free (there’s actually someone who does that).

But a recent court ruling upheld changes that were supposed to go into effect by today, dramatically increasing royalty rates for webcasting copyrighted music.

Could this spell the end for Internet radio?

News links for today’s audio:
new royalty rules announced in March
Congress refuses to get involved in dispute
new rules delayed by negotiations
Save Net Radio (advocacy group)

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