Dear Listener,

We regret to report that webcasters and SoundExchange still have not come to agreement over an acceptable performance royalty rate for Internet radio. Fortunately, our supporters in Congress are getting frustrated by the slow pace of negotiations and are finally taking action.

This Thursday, May 15th, Senator Sam Brownback will be offering an amendment to include provisions from the Internet Radio Equality Act (IREA) into legislation being considered by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. As you may remember, IREA was a bill introduced last year to cap royalties at 7.5% of Internet radio revenues.

A fair and reasonable royalty rate is needed now more than ever. The Live365 webcasters you listen to are finding themselves competing online at a disadvantage against terrestrial broadcasters that generate enormous profits from advertising and yet don't have to pay performance royalties. We hope you like what you are hearing on Internet radio, and don't want it to turn into another AM/FM wasteland of Top 40 music.

We need your help to support Senator Brownback's amendment to include the IREA provisions in the Orphan Works Bill. Please take a minute and go to www.savenetradio.org to fire off a quick email or phone call to Congress. Unless we all raise our voices, corporate greed will triumph over small webcasters that broadcast diverse musical genres and talent.

Help protect Internet radio!!