From The Onion: "The Recording Industry Association of America filed a $7.1 billion lawsuit against the nation's radio stations Monday, accusing them of freely distributing copyrighted music.

"'It's criminal,' RIAA president Hilary Rosen said. 'Anyone at any time can simply turn on a radio and hear a copyrighted song. Making matters worse, these radio stations often play the best, catchiest song off the album over and over until people get sick of it. Where is the incentive for people to go out and buy the album?'

"According to Rosen, the radio stations acquire copies of RIAA artists' CDs and then broadcast them using a special transmitter, making it possible for anyone with a compatible radio-wave receiver to listen to the songs.

"'These radio stations are extremely popular,' Rosen said. 'They flagrantly string our songs together in "uninterrupted music blocks" of up to 70 minutes in length, broadcasting nearly one CD's worth of product without a break, and they actually have the gall to allow businesses to advertise between songs. It's bad enough that they're giving away our music for free, but they're actually making a profit off this scheme.'

"RIAA attorney Russell Frackman said the lawsuit is intended to protect the artists.

"'If this radio trend continues, it will severely damage a musician's ability to earn a living off his music,' Frackman said. '[Metallica drummer] Lars Ulrich [right] stopped in the other day wondering why his last royalty check was so small, and I didn't know what to say. How do you tell a man who's devoted his whole life to his music that someone is able to just give it away for free? That pirates are taking away his right to support himself with his craft?'..

"Continued Rosen: '...This has to be stopped before the music industry's entire economic infrastructure collapses.'"

Read this entire article in The Onion, online here.

This article is satire. The first photo and caption are from The Onion.

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From Friday...

BY KURT HANSON AND PAUL MALONEY
Today, as the webcasting industry, and Rep. Sensenbrenner's office, await word of a royalty deal that at this moment record industry and Internet radio negotiators are trying to hammer out, a new wrench may have been tossed into the works. And this one doesn't come from the RIAA.

Commercial broadcasters, sources say, did not take part in the negotiations, but may use their weight in Congress to prevent a webcaster/label accord from becoming law.

On Tuesday, House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner's (R-WI) H.R. 5469, which would have granted a six-month temporary suspension of webcasting royalty payments, was removed from the House voting schedule, following an outcry from House Democrats and unions representing musicians (please see RAIN coverage here).

In a meeting in his office, record industry and Net radio negotiators told Sensenbrenner they could manage to craft a reasonable deal by today. Sensenbrenner promised he would try to introduce that deal to the House as legislation.

However, broadcasters (i.e., the NAB) aren't in on the negotiations, and multiple reliable sources tell RAIN that the NAB is telling its members that it will block any agreement similar to the one being discussed from being passed by the Senate.

...

... In fact, if the NAB were to bring its political might to bear, it's possible that Sensenbrenner might not even be able to get the agreement passed by the House. On the other hand, before the developments of this week, webcasters and the labels had discussed the idea of bringing an agreement they reach to the U.S. Copyright Office, in the hopes that it be made an addendum to the Librarian of Congress's decision. If the NAB blocks Sensenbrenner's plan, there's nothing to prevent the parties involved from asking U.S. Register of Copyrights Marybeth Peters and Librarian of Congress Dr. James Billington to add these new terms to the Librarian's decision...or for the RIAA to offer the terms negotiated this week to webcasters on a voluntary basis, as was the original plan when the negotiations began. -- KH ...

From an RAB press release: "Radio revenue continues on its positive course as total combined ad sales for August rose 5%. Local sales figures for August increased 4% and national dollars were up by 9% when compared to the same month a year ago.

"On a year-to-date basis, total combined ad dollars showed a 3% gain for the first eight months of 2002. National sales figures rose 7% and local dollars were up 2%...

"'Radio is showing signs of accelerated growth,' noted President and Chief Executive Officer of RAB Gary Fries. 'All indicators point to continued momentum with double-digit increases for 4th Quarter. Radio is well-positioned to kick off 2003 from a strong and stable vantage point.'"