I have webcasted here in years prior, but recently started up a new webstation here in the midst of all this CRB stuff. I hope that the powers that be come to their sences and keep this legal and affordable for everyone. I have always enjoyed music, music has gotten me through some hard times, and some of the music I play on my station is truley unheard of elsewhere. It's not about ripping artist off, it's about sharing the music we love with the world legally. I don't mind paying reasonable royalties, but behind the website and the avatar on my station page is a simple, paycheck to paycheck man with a family to support. Webcasting is not my bread and butter business, it's one of my hobbies. If BeanJelly Radio becomes even a remotely successfull station, then under these rates, the amount of money I would have to pay would be more than the gross pay I make at my full time job in the real world.

"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". That's a phrase that carries and retains power. That's a phrase that took on extra meaning for me when my pursuit of happiness took a drastic upswing on June 27th 2008 when I started my internet radio station on Live365.com. June 27th, by the way is also my birthday. The date I was born nearly 40 years ago into this country. As far as I'm concerned, I entered into a contract with my country the day my birth certificate was signed and I was named a citizen of it. You music industry types understand the concept of contracts, right? "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". That was explicitly stated in the contract made to me by my country, written by the very founders of this country itself. Well, I would like to tell my elected officials and the representatives of the recording industry's withered old guard, that as far as I'm concerned, I've been holding up my end of the bargain, and I expect my country to have the integrity to do the same. I have been pursuing my happiness and I have found it in music. I have found it in starting my internet radio show. I have found it in celebrating the ways that the human race creates, enjoys and shares music are evolving into a new era. My happiness, by the way, is non-negotiable. The future of music is already being made by those intelligent enough to see that these new business shifts were a long time in coming - compensation for the creative will never be lacking. Why should internet broadcasters have to pay extra for the shortsightedness of a bloated industry that catastrophically dropped the ball? An easily lobbed softball, I should add. The pursuits of internet radio's strongest opponents moved far away from happiness somewhere along the way and I prefer to be where I am in my own pursuits. Scooping up happiness in armfuls and trying to throw it around to everyone else around the world, with whom I have a much larger contract to uphold. I'll say it one final time, in part because it in itself is music if you pay attention: "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". And I'll add another pesky phrase that seems to have staying power: "Money doesn't buy you happiness". It is absurd to me to imagine anyone could not do the math.

I know that the royalties are mainly aimed at the bigger broadcasters and sites selling music they don't own. But we as the small broadcaster will never have a chance if they win against those who are cheating the system which don't care because they have the money to pay any high fines. In the mean time I see it forcing the small broadcaster to one break the law and risk getting caught. 2. Not trying at all never giving their dream or creative style to have a chance. But most importantly. Those who can can't afford to play the old music because it won't be profitable. They'll always be reaching for the new hot material. Older artists who didn't plan ahead and got jerked by companies will wind up on welfare roles. So were do you want a be when your a senior? On a page in book just fading away and forgotten because of the necesity to survive by choosing only the new hot artists. Are one of the few who looked at the price and said I can't afford that. Just throw in the white towel. Seems to me the old timers still alive would be worried the most about their music being played. The newer generation would be worried because one day they'll be one of those old timers and no longer a hot enough item to market. I think it should be up to the artists who created the music to decide what is fair. But they have to realize what is fair to us if they want a survive in the music industry. It is us the broadcasters who keep them alive no matter wether its am/fm radio or internet radio. They use to send demo's to radio stations just to get airplay. Now we have to pay? Times have changed. The cd market sales is limited to cd's you can burn on. Solution isn't easy but they do need to lighten up if they want the market to grow and make money. They need to fight to keep every broadcaster they can online.

I have always dreamed of running a variety radio station and live365.com helped me reach that dream in November, 2007. Now to find out that I may have to pay up to a 300% increase in Royalties, has me thinking that the "Big Boy Broadcasting Companies" may have a lot to do with that. They own the airwaves and that's not enough! E-mail your representative and tell them enough is enough. If that bill passes, Star 99 Spring Hill will end up closing shop before it even begins.

Thrash Unlimited Radio was created to provide an avenue for international thrash metal artists. We locate bands in the most remote areas of the world and bring their music to the airwaves. Most of these bands have NEVER been heard outside of their native countries and most do not have any type of "recording contract." Implementing the CRB's royality rates would surely shut us down and these bands will not be heard. There is indeed something criminal here...