From MTV News: "If you tuned in to your favorite Internet radio station Wednesday, what you didn't hear could be the future sound of online radio, many webcasters say.

"Hundreds of online radio stations protested a recently proposed royalty rate by going dark Wednesday for an Internet radio 'Day of Silence.' Some stations halted their broadcasts all day, while others only stayed silent for a 12-hour period. Many of those that did not go dark aired a 12-hour talk show informing listeners about the new rate plan...

"When users visited Web sites of stations participating in the protest, they were met with an explanation of the shutdown and directed to the Radio And Internet Newsletter's Save Internet Radio page.

"As an indication of how widespread outrage over of the silence was, the site, which had approximately 90,000 page views prior to May 1, had more than tripled its traffic to 286,000 as of Thursday afternoon, according to a site spokesperson." (Pictured at right.) "The Web site's server crashed twice Wednesday as a result of the traffic, the spokesperson said.

"Additionally, more than 22,000 faxes were sent to members of Congress via Lightningcast, an ad-insertion technology company that volunteered its services to the cause by enabling visitors to its own site to voice their opinion via a form letter.

"Congress.org, a Web site that assists users in writing their congressional representatives, had sent approximately 4,700-4,800 e-mails and hand-delivered letters about the issue to Capitol Hill, according to a site spokesperson, who added that the Internet radio debate was the most popular issue they've had apart from topics surrounding the Middle East. By comparison, the site usually sends 1,500-2,000 letters per day on all of their available topics.

"'This highlights how average citizens, who are passionate about an issue, can harness the power of the Internet to take action and effect change,' said Bob Hansan, president of Capitol Advantage, the company that powers Congress.org..."

Read this entire MTV News piece here.

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From SoundExchange on Wednesday: "You may have heard that some webcasters are participating today in a so-called 'Day of Silence.' This is their way of protesting their obligation to compensate artists and record companies for their music. While the purpose of this protest is misguided, a 'day of silence' is a fitting theme.

"Everyone should understand what the world would sound like without the music that is often taken for granted. If those who make the music we all love are not fairly compensated for their work, that will be the result – silence.

"Let’s not forget that what the music webcasters want essentially for free is the backbone of their entire business. Somehow these companies have found a way to pay fair market rates for everything else necessary for their business – from bandwidth and computers to rent and furniture. Why should the most important element of their business – the music – be any different?

"Artists and record companies deserve fair compensation for their creations. They have waited patiently for more than three years to be compensated while webcasters have been building their businesses. Webcasters are not entitled to a free ride or subsidy. The time has come for webcasters to stop protesting and work cooperatively with artists and record labels to ensure success for all and provide fans with the great music they expect and deserve."

Pictured here, left to right, is Hilary Rosen of the RIAA, Simson , Ann Chaitovitz of AFTRA, and Linda Bocchi of AARC (Alliance of Artists and Recording Companies). Rosen and Chaitovitz also signed the SoundExchange letter.

This complete open letter from SoundExchange executive director John Simson, and signed by various artists, record labels, and other industry groups, is available in Adobe Acrobat format here.

...

... There are numerous points here with which I have trouble -- and I'm sure many RAIN readers could bring up the same issues. But the one that sticks out the most to me is the idea that webcasters are looking for "a free ride or subsidy." Thinking like this completely disregards the fact that radio (terrestrial and Internet) play is a historically proven and effective promotional tool that drives record sales. The very fact that the RIAA was instrumental in convincing Congress to include the "sound recording performance complement" in the DMCA, which among other things mandates that webcasters include functionality enabling listeners to purchase sound recordings, demonstrates that record labels acknowledge the promotional power of "public performance." Oh yeah, there's the hundreds of millions of dollars spent every year on radio promotion (which, by the way, is charged back against the artists' advances). Hmmm...who's subsidizing who? If the record industry's positioning of itself as the champion of artists' rights near and wide isn't mind-boggling enough, note that the third signatory to this letter after Simson is Don Henley himself (right, with Eagle bandmate Glenn Frey), whose war against the industry which has made him an "indentured servant" (his words) has been well-publicized. In fact, in his testimony (here) that the record industry severely dropped the ball in dealing with the realities of technology and the Internet -- and his concern that artists would go uncompensated as the major labels developed their own music subscription services (which is exactly what several artists allege), he said, "The RIAA does not speak on behalf of recording artists, even though it gives the impression at times that it does." -- PM

The press coverage of Wednesday's media event continues. As of Thursday afternoon, we're still coming across more articles and features in America's newspapers, websites, and magazines -- and attentive RAIN readers have been pointing out still more.

Plus, we know of several folks in the industry are still being contacted by journalists about the "Day of Silence," so we imagine the media isn't finished yet!

We'll continue to update this table as we hear of more stories. (If you know of press coverage that we're missing, feel free to drop a line to us at kurt@kurthanson.com or using the feedback form below.

	Internet radio (audio link)
	Small radio Webcasters in uproar
	'Day of Silence' resounds on Hill
	Planned fees anger webcasters
	Webcasters 'silently' hit royalty rates
	Digital Dilemma
	Webcasters to interrupt service today 'Day of Silence' planned to protest proposed royalties
	'Silence' Greets Webcasting Fees
	Lightningcast Gives Millions of Citizens a Voice in Grassroots Opposition
	Lightningcast to Speak Up on Webcasters Day of Silence
	Day of Silence-Marathon Broadcast to Save Internet Radio
	The Silence of the Webcasters
	Webcasters want to silence the Internet
	Online radio plans 'silent' protest of fees
	Net Radio' s day off
	Silence greets Webcasting fees
	Streaming Music Choked by Fees?
	Mass protest appeals against US copyright plans
	Listeners Respond as College Radio Stations Join Copyright-Fee Protest
	Save Internet radio! Here's why--and here's how
	Webcasters to protest rates with sound of silence
	Webcasts go silent in royalty protest
	Internet radio organizes "Day of Silence" on Wednesday
	American websites hold Day Of Silence protest
	Webcasters' silence is heard
	Liberty vs. Royalties

From Radio Ink: "Kevin Barrett, Program Director at KABZ FM 'The Buzz' in Little Rock told Radio Ink in an e-mail, 'Today 103-7 The Buzz observed Internet radio streaming silence, even though as an FM Talk Station we are not directly affected as are our colleagues at broadcast music stations, and Internet only webcasters.

"'The RIAA is one of the most powerful lobbies in America, no doubt their goal is for the major record companies to control music on demand portals on the Internet. If it stands, the proposed regulations will in effect hurt the people who are championing the very bands and artists that rarely see the light of day on commercial radio,' Barrett said. 'By erecting this mammoth toll gate for web radio streamers, they will terminate the last staging area left for experimentation, consumer choice, & just possibly the next great format concept.'"

Read this entire article in Radio Ink here.