Very Sad

The Last Days of Internet Radio?

Via: Searchmob.

Businessweek article on changes by the Copyright Royalty Board that may or may not signal major changes with who can afford to provide streaming music. So much for a level playing field. According to the article, even the major players are going to see increases in royalties they must pay. If I’m an artist, I would consider internet radio is a godsend.

“A DiMA survey of 1,008 online music radio listeners and music services subscribers published in January found that nearly half are spending more than $200 per year on music, and nearly 30% are spending more than $300. Before the Internet, an average consumer only bought about $100 worth of CDs a year.”

Somebody is being stupid and greedy. And it’s only going to further the move away from “mainstream” sources of music. If KCRW goes, I’m hurting.

UPDATE: See today’s Salon article on this subject with a little deeper analysis.