photo: Rusty Hodge (Soma FM)

We went to DC with a simple, new, efficient, and logical message….we arrived in support of HR 2060, a bill with more than 100 co-sponsors spanning across party lines, disregarding internal strife.

We explained our support of small webcasters, the impact of the CRB decision on the vibrancy of the independent music business….and the fiduciary pea soup for small webacasters who want to pay royalties. Oh, and no return phone calls from SoundExchange since July 15. The terms “willing buyer, willing seller” and “interactive vs non interactive” hovering over the dialogue cloud of every meeting. It was Not Shocking, but it was surreal to ask members of the house and senate to help ensure our ability to promote art. on the internets.

the internets. a space where commerce and art have a functional relationship without borders – where art is profitable in both financially tangible and immaterial promotional forms. a space where communication spans the globe and the end result is no less than 4 pidgin languages ranging from lolcats (birthing what else, but lolcode) to text msg friendly jargon.

And apparently, a space where republicans and democrats who rarely agree (if ever) can….and do…. agree.

David Mandell from Me.dium wrote an interesting blog post a few wks ago, linking social networking and gaia principle, asking Will Social Networking Save The World?

“As usage increases, networks will continue to expand linking individuals on a more than causal basis around the world. If there are no more strangers, who is left to attack?”

It may be possible that the internets, with or without the google, is a platform for the increase of social consciousness in such a way that social networks yield an outer level of unification in which diversity thrives and art of all sorts can, and does, finda home. Social networks feed the fish, and the tail grows. and grows.

The open internets builds communities across borders, and, apparently, relationships between democrats and republicans who otherwise do not agree. Here is the press release issued from United States Senators Sam Brownback (Republican, Kansas) and Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon), just days after Soma FM, BAGeL Radio & reapandsow went to DC.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
Contact Brian Hart/Becky Ogilvie
August 2, 2007

BROWNBACK, WYDEN COMMENT ON COPYRIGHT
ROYALTY BOARD’S DECISION
Call CRB’s Rates for Webcasters “unfounded”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Ron Wyden (D-OR)
today released the following statement regarding efforts to save
Internet radio:

“We sponsored the Internet Radio Equality Act because the Copyright
Royalty Board’s decision to dramatically increase royalties and apply
what we see as unfounded minimum rates threatens to devastate the
Internet radio industry. The fact is online radio services do not
have enough revenue to support what will amount to unprecedented
royalties. The $500 per channel minimum fee alone will deliver an
over $1 billion annual windfall to record companies, a windfall that
is not justified by any business or equity considerations.

“Now we are hearing that the recording industry is attempting to use
this aspect of the CRB decision to force webcasters to adopt
recording restrictions far in excess of the controls that have
governed broadcast content for decades. While we strongly support a
negotiated solution, we will not allow the minimum fee issue to be
used to force an agreement that mandates DRM technology and fails to
respect the established principles of fair use and consumer rights.

“After the July 15 deadline came and went we were pleased to learn
that SoundExchange was negotiating with webcasters, and we expected
to avoid pushing forward with this legislation. But, as Congress
heads into its August recess, we are troubled by the lack of
negotiating progress being reported. Broadcasters report that their
June 6 offer to SoundExchange has yet to warrant a response, and
webcasters report that negotiating meetings with SoundExchange are
proving difficult to schedule.

“Internet radio is crucial to many segments of business and culture –
to small and large webcasters building sustainable businesses; to
independent artists trying to make it in a crowded industry; and to
millions of music fans searching for new diverse music that corporate
radio generally does not offer. Innovation and creativity are the
winners if Internet radio flourishes, and are the losers if Internet
radio stagnates.

“If great progress toward a fair solution for webcasters is not made
by Congress’s return to Washington after Labor Day, then we plan to
take expeditious steps toward passage of the Internet Radio Equality
Act. We feel the Senate must take action, and we will make every
effort move the Internet Radio Equality Act to the floor.”

Brownback and Wyden are the Senate sponsors of the Internet Radio
Equality Act.

Sam Brownback
United States Senator – Kansas
303 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6521
http://brownback.senate.gov

Technorati Tags: SomaFM, BAGeL Radio, Sam Brownback, Ron Wyden, SaveNetRadio, SmallWebcasters