The Feds Crash the Internet Radio Party

The Internet and a small device costing less than $50 have brought the whole wide world of quality radio into the living room at Kiko's House.

Any radio station worth its salt now webcasts, often in high-definition format and sometimes through multiple streams. By hard wiring my computer to my stereo system through a HiFi Link (a more expensive wireless version also is available) I can listen to such superb stations as WBGO (Jazz) in Newark, New Jersey, WXPN (Alternative) in Philadelphia, and KJAZ (Jazz) in Long Beach, California.

Well, it's been swell, but now the feds have crashed the party.

The U.S Copyright Royalty Board recently issued a ruling that could dramatically increase the cost of streaming music on the Internet. Even more ominous is that the proposed royalties by themselves greatly exceed the revenue that these listener-supporter public radio stations generate from their streams.

What to do? Write you congressperson and support your favorite stations with a tax-deductible donation.

More here.