From the press release: "Today representatives of the growing SaveNetRadio coalition announced the launch of a national grassroots campaign aimed at preserving the future of Internet radio. The coalition of Internet radio listeners, music labels, artists, and webcasters was formed in response to a March 2nd ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board [RAIN coverage here] that increases the fees webcasters pay to play music online by 300% and threatens to bankrupt the vast majority of webcasters.

"'The CRB's ill-informed decision to increase royalty fees to this unjustifiable level at the behest of the major recording labels will quite simply bankrupt thousands of webcasters and destroy Internet radio,' Jake Ward, a spokesperson for the SaveNetRadio campaign, said.

"'Radio on the Internet is not a passing fad or for a niche audience. It is an enormously popular medium that offers its more than 70 million listeners unprecedented diversity; and artists, particularly independent artists, the ability to reach millions of fans across the country who would otherwise never hear their work. Net radio has changed the way people listen to, market, buy, and even make music and we cannot afford to let it die.'

"As members of the coalition, including Kurt Hanson from AccuRadio, Johnie Floater from Live365, Joe Kennedy from Pandora, and Courtney Delaney from Outbound Music, discussed their concerns with the Copyright Royalty Board's decision and its impact on Net radio, the coalition's website was launched this morning.

"SaveNetRadio.org will enable the more than 70 million Net radio listeners and hundreds of thousands of artists who enjoy and depend on Internet radio to learn more about what they can do to help preserve music diversity on the Internet and ensure the future of Net radio itself. The comments and views of the coalition's representatives can also be found on the coalition website.

"The increased royalty rate, scheduled to take effect May 15th, will become the single largest operating expense for webcasters according to a recent J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. [see RAIN here],study, and the majority of webcasters will not be able to generate enough advertising revenue to avoid bankruptcy. Because the CRB rates are retroactive to January 1, 2006, even if it is effective for only a single day, past due royalties alone will be enough to bankrupt virtually all small and mid-sized webcasters, many of whom are the hallmarks of programming diversity.

According to the American Association of Independent Music, Net radio plays nearly four times as much independent music as terrestrial FM radio."

The Board claimed that the motions introduced no new evidence and were therefore legally insufficient.

Webcast legal vet David Oxenford, speaking at the RAIN Summit this morning, said the board "denied all the motions for rehearing on procedural grounds."

The CRB did not offer any type of clarification or additional information surrounding the minimum $500 fee per channel imposed by the new ruling.

Webcasters still hold out hope for negotiations with the record industry, action in the appellate court or legislative relief.

RAIN will continue to update this story as more details emerge.

Today is the RAIN Las Vegas Summit '07, at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, just steps from the Las Vegas Convention Center (more information, including the complete schedule, is here).

A limited number of $150 "day of" passes are available at the door. Guests may also attend a single panel for $20.

Also, note that the cocktail party immediately following the Summit (about 5pm) is an open to everyone.

Confirmed speakers for the RAIN Summit include:

• Jeff Bachmeier, Club 977
• Brian Bartolo, Emmis Interactive West
• John Blackledge, JP Morgan
• George Bundy, BRS Media
• Brian Cullinan, Air Support
  
• Gary Dobek, Digitally Imported & Sky.fm
• David Goldberg, co-founder of Yahoo! LAUNCHcast
• Gary Greenstein (formerly SoundExchange)
• Kurt Hanson, RAIN & AccuRadio
• Johnie Floater, Live365
  
• Russ Gilbert, radioio
• Jean-Marie Heimrath, Standard Interactive
• Rusty Hodge, SomaFM;
• Paul Jacobs, Jacobs Media
• Martin Kay, Finetune
• Jim Kearns, SelectRadio
• Joe Kennedy, Pandora
• Gary Krantz, Westwood One
• Jennifer Lane, Net Radio Sales
• Bob Maccini, AndoMedia;
• Paul Maloney, RAIN & AccuRadio
• Bryan Jay Miller, WOXY.com
• Chuck Morrison, MoRisen Records
• Lisa Namerow, AOL Radio
• David Oxenford, Davis Wright & Tremaine LLP
• Jonathan Potter, DiMA
• Dave Rahn, SBR Custom Channels
• Ari Shohat, Digitally Imported & Sky.fm
• Val Starr, GotRadio.com
• Dave Van Dyke, Bridge Ratings
  

Platinum sponsors:

Lunch sponsor:

Cocktail party sponsors: