Web Minus Radio

A few days ago I wrote in glowing terms of Radiotower.com
and the amazing amount of Radio stations available for PC users
to listen to while they work. That stream of consciousness led me
to this article in my Inbox from WebProNews Staff writer
Jason Lee Miller entitled The Day the Web Goes Silent :

Not a moment of silence, but a full day of silence is planned by
US-based webcasters, lots of them, in protest of the Copyright
Royalty Board's increase in royalty rates. Internet radio stations
argue the rate hikes are disproportionate and will shut down the
entire Web radio industry. Next Tuesday, June 26, thousands of US
webcasters will go silent, including big names like Yahoo, Rhapsody,
MTVOnline, and Pandora, as well as more local offerings like
BluegrassCountry.org/WAMU.org and RadioMilwaukee. Some
webcasters will cut off their streams entirely while others will play
static, ocean sounds, or similar fare with periodic public service
announcements of what is happening."The arbitrary and drastic rate
increases set by the Copyright Royalty Board on March 2nd threaten
the very livelihood of thousands of webcasters and their millions of
listeners throughout the country," said Jake Ward, a spokesperson for
the SaveNetRadio Coalition.

The campaign to save Internet radio - a genuine grassroots
movement comprised of hundreds of thousands of webcasters,
artists and independent labels, and Net radio listeners - has quickly
brought this issue to the national forefront and the halls of
Congress, but there is still more to be done before the
approaching deadline of July 15th."On Tuesday, thousands of
webcasters will call on their millions of listeners to join the fight to
save Internet radio and contact their Congressional representatives to
ask for their support of the Internet Radio Equality Act."After July 15,
the CRB plans to impose its new rates, a policy that is retroactive,
requiring Net radio providers pay the new rates for the previous 17
months as well.

The complete list on Internet radio stations participating
in the Day of Silence are as follows:
Yahoo! WPNA (Oak Park, IL),
Live365 stations, 60's Chicks Radio/Seasons & Rhapsody,
Celebrations Radio, MTV Online, STAR 107.9,
AccuRadio, WRPS/WebRadioPugetSound,
KCRW (Santa Monica, CA), Puregold Rock 'N Roll,
Pandora, NeverEndingWonder Radio, Radioio, RadioMilwaukee,
DigitallyImported, BAGeL Radio, RadioParadise, Gotradio/100hitz,
3WK, KDUN (Reedsport, OR), myMVY, GDRadio.net,
Wizard Radio, KQLZ (Los Angeles, CA), Born Again Radio,
KXPR/KXJZ (Sacramento, CA), Pearadio.com, NiceNoise.Net,
Ear.fm, BlackLight Radio, WGLI (Bablylon, NY), Pure Pop 24/7,
WMUK (Kalamazoo, MI), Smooth Jazz and More, Head-On Radio
Network, Reggae Nostalgia, Zecom/Gemz Radio,
WCH Radio/The Wave, monkeygrip music cafe,
WYGS Southern Gospel Radio KFCF (Fresno, CA), Network,
LuckySevenRadio.com, BluegrassCountry.org/WAMU.
Blue Power/Guitar Speak, etc.

That's a lot of people losing a lot of jobs and a lot of listeners
losing a lot of good Music, News and Talk shows.
Go ahead and enjoy Free web radio NOW because on June 26th
you might be listening to....silence ?