Action Alert: Saving 'Net Radio

Here's something worthwhile-- an attempt to save the Internet from yet another attack courtesy of giant corporations. Net Neutrality has turned out to be a winning issue for Democrats (one that even righties supported), and we've managed to prevent the gutting of PBS twice now. Now it's streaming audio. I happen to be a very big fan, and while my Congressman, Ed Markey, is on the right side of all of these issues, I'd certainly encourage sending some letters. After all, this issue won't garner the passion of the other two.

A ruling by an obscure regulatory agency threatens to silence Internet radio. After intense lobbying from the recording industry, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) is about to mandate exponential increases — by as much as 1,200 percent — in royalties paid every time webcasters stream a song online.

If these unfair rules are allowed to go into effect on May 15, many public, independent and smaller Internet radio stations will have to shut down. At stake is the diversity of musical choice that the Internet has come to represent for more than 50 million listeners.

Follow the link. Help out. I'm doing my part.