The Ban on Internet Radio: Why the PERFORM Act Should Not Be Passed

The puppets of the RIAA are at it again. Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Graham (R-SC) introduced S.2644, called the PERFORM Act, aimed at preventing satellite radio providers from offering subscribers devices capable of recording content off the air. Not only will this bill eliminate a great feature of satellite radio, but buried in the bill is a provision that would require any provider of streaming content to implement DRM.

Pandora, Shoutcast, Live365, and many radio stations rely on MP3 streaming to legally transmit their broadcasts under the Copyright Act. They obtain a statutory license, administered by SoundExchange, to broadcast their programming with whatever format they like. The current law provides adequate protection against recording by requiring broadcasters to use DRM only if the format includes DRM.

The PERFORM Act would require webcasters to use DRM to restrict the recording of webcasts even if you use the statutory license, effectively killing MP3 streaming. Webcasters would have to use more expensive streaming technologies effectively killing Internet radio and the other innovations that have come along with it.

Let your senators know that you are one of 50 million listeners that enjoy Internet radio, and that the current laws are effective in protecting copyright holders. The EFF has a great article on the topic and form letter that you can send to your senators. Take a few moments to send them a letter protesting this bill.

Comments

[Jim Coleman]

I am writing in very strong support of the Perform Act. This bill must be passed into law to prevent the ongoing destructin of the recording industry which is robbing so many creative artists of the compensation they so rightfully deserve. Currently, well over a billion songs are downloaded or copied from streaming audio files every month. fortunately, there is a company located in Santa Cruz, California called Media Rights Technologies (MRT) which has developed the technology that will provide the solution for what is called for in the Perform Act. Once this bill is passed into law and MRT's Secure X1 technology is deployed, Internet piracy will be completely stopped. This will mean a savings of billions of dollars every year and it will enable my friends here in Nashville who are songwriters and recording artists to once again make a living. MRT's Secure X1 technology can prevent the copying of streamiong audio files as well as all other forms of Internet piracy.

2007 Mar 20 10:35 AM

[Jim Coleman]

The Perform Act must be passed to stop Internet piracy which is robbing so many creative artists of the compensation they are due. Fortunately, there is a company located in Santa Cruz, California called Media Rights Technologies (MRT), which has come up with the technology that will provide the solution for what is called for in the Perform Act. MRT's Secure X1 technology completely eliminates the copying of streamng audio files as well as alot more. Once this technology is deployed Internet piracy will be a thing of the past.

2007 Mar 28 10:19 AM

[sugonaut]

"fortunately, there is a company located in Santa Cruz, California called Media Rights Technologies (MRT) which has developed the technology that will provide the solution for what is called for in the Perform Act. Once this bill is passed into law and MRT's Secure X1 technology is deployed, Internet piracy will be completely stopped."

I'm tempted to correct Jim's typos, but am blinded by the content of his message. Government sanctioned business models are un-American, anti-capitalistic, and undermine free-market opportunities. Imagine that monopoly case...

Ironically Jim has chosen to publish some of his own work in MP3 format. A challenge to my fellow remixers - head on over to www.jjcoleman.com/. I personally can't stand the sound of the guitar, but I can't wait to chop up Jim's songs and make some new ones.

Tools -> DownloadThemAll -> and.............. Done!

Start -> Sony -> Acid -> and..........

2007 Apr 05 03:44 PM