Webcasters and record labels will challenge Librarian of Congress...
Webcasters and record labels will challenge Librarian of Congress James Billington’s decision setting royalty rates for Internet radio, they said Wed. More than 2 dozen Internet radio stations, including Listen.com, AOL, and Live365, intend to file notice of appeal…
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with U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., said Digital Media Assn. (DiMA). “I am hopeful that a negotiated resolution will enable the Internet radio industry to withdraw this appeal, but there has been no indication that the RIAA or SoundExchange are seriously interested in royalty rates” that will keep thousands of small Webcasters alive, said DiMA Exec. Dir. Jonathan Potter. RIAA intends to argue that Librarian’s reliance on RIAA’s licensing deal with Yahoo -- to exclusion of 25 other licensing agreements -- was incorrect, association said. Third appeal was filed about month ago by Harvard’s radio station. But broadcasters in general won’t be challenging Librarian’s rates, spokesman for NAB said. Instead, he said, NAB will focus all its attention on getting “underlying misinterpretation” -- that radio stations which simultaneously stream their programs are subject to royalties -- thrown out by 3rd U.S. Appeals Court, Philadelphia.