RIAA can go to hell

Have you heard the latest crap being spewed from the mouth of the RIAA? They are now using the Copyright Royalty Board (a leg of the US Copyright Office) to try and effectively shut down net radio streams. Their tactic? As a new article at techdirt recently reported, to jack up the royalty rates from 2006 to 2007 by more than 37%. Considering that many webcasting radio sites are barely making enough off of their efforts to pay for the hosting of their streams, this boost in royalty responsibility could kill them dead.

This is basically a way for the RIAA and the bigshot major labels to try and control the output of internet radio, like they have done for so long with physical radio stations. They don't want people to be able to listen to anything that they want. They don't want artists to be played on the radio without major label support. They want independent music to be unheard so that it is not a threat to their watered down pap. Please write your congressmen and let them know that you're sick of the RIAA having their hands around every media broadcaster's neck. The RIAA has never done anything good for artists - only for the major labels that are funding their lobbying.

In addition, I feel it is high time for everyone to boycott the RIAA, and the labels that they stand for altogether. These are the same jerkoffs that were suing twelve year olds for downloading songs off of Napster a few years back. This is their last gasp at retaining control. Perhaps we will witness an influx of internet radio hosted in places like Russia in the near future, since the reach of the RIAA isn't as heavy-handed in those types of areas.