Copyright Board begrudgingly adopts revenue-based streaming royalties:
With explanatory language that made it clear its judges didn’t particularly favor anyone at all involved in this whole process, the CRB announced this week it will apply royalties to streaming net services based on revenue.
I’m glad that this has been finally sorted out. It’s taken bills in the Senate, court appeals and over two years of negotiation to find a solution that enables internet radio broadcasters –– like my favourite SOMA FM –– to pay royalties based on their income rather than on a notional amount per song.
The negotiation process clearly hasn’t been smooth, and it doesn’t seem as if any side ends covered in glory here. But the user-supported internet radio stations will continue to play a more diverse and interesting playlist than any commercial station. I’ll boost my subscription by a dollar or two a month to ensure I can still listen to that.
(Via BetaNews.)