From Pitchforkmedia.com: "As a Pitchfork reader, you're aware of the impact the internet has had on the ways in which music is discovered, disseminated, championed and discussed...

"But an integral part of that landscape — internet radio — is in danger of becoming drastically weakened or extinct, due to a new law...

"Net radio offers broadcasters the opportunity to do just about whatever they please — an impressive feat when contrasted with the focus-grouped farce that is most corporate-owned terrestrial radio in 2007.

"Here at Pitchfork, we think that turning people on to new music is pretty important. (Hell, it's what we do every day.) And losing web radio would significantly reduce exposure to new music. We think that sucks...

"Given all the less-than-honorable ways people acquire music through their computers, net radio is practically saintly. It's mostly free, legal, and musician-friendly, paying royalties in the same manner as terrestrial and satellite radio, though not necessarily in the same amounts...

"These stations will likely crumble under the new rates, marking a silencing of an untold wealth of free expression and the transmission of new sounds.

"We're all for artists getting their due, and to that end, the argument for letting the decision stand has legs, in theory. The higher fees leveraged against broadcasters would ostensibly mean more dough for artists, although even that appears to be negligible. Reports vary, but the average artist's payout after the rate increase will still only be in the neighborhood of a few hundred bucks per year. And is that really worth the price of untold numbers of small broadcasters being put out of business?...

"Net radio's vast listenership has cried foul, and now, some parts of Washington seem to be catching on. Bills have been introduced into both the House and Senate...

"To support these bills, call or write your local representative, or pop on over to savenetradio.org, the leading website in the struggle against this decision, for more information.

Read the entire article at Pitchforkmedia.com.

A total of 97 Representatives now back the measure.

	Representative Ray H. LaHood Illinois' 18th District 7th-term Republican
	Representative Rick Larsen Washington's 2nd District 4th-term Democrat Key committee(s): Small Business
	Representative Christopher S. Murphy Connecticut's 5th District 1st-term Democrat
	Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz Pennsylvania's 13th District 2nd-term Democrat
	Representative Jose E. Serrano New York's 16th District 10th-term Democrat

Here's feedback...

"There was no real 'reaching out' to webcasters... what a surprise."

"Wondering as to why Simson did not make this offer weeks ago..."

"Why is SoundExchange penalizing my support?.."