Update, July 13th, 2007: Music Webcasters continue to stream for at least one more week, while new royalty negotiations take place. Read more at the Radio and Internet Newsletter.

The rules and rates for playing music over the internet are set to change dramatically on July 15th because of a recent decision of the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board. "The Day the Music Died: Web Radio in Peril" is a half-hour Pacifica Special covering the impact of this ruling. Originally aired on KPFA July 7, 2007.

We want to hear from you! Send your feedback to: .

Other ways to listen:

• Stream to your computer's media player (24k mp3), or
• Download the program (about 10mb)

The rules and rates regarding royalties fees for playing music over the internet are set to change dramatically on July 15th because of a recent decision of the Copyright Royalty Board in Washington D.C. Community radio stations across the country will be impacted and many are scrambling to keep up with the changes. Many internet-only radio stations like Live 365 and Pandora say that the fees increase will put them out of business.

In this special documentary, we hear from radio station staff around the country, discussing the challenges and burdens the rule changes will impose on them, as well as what creative solutions they've come up with. We hear from music fans, musicians, and recording industry professionals. And we discuss the history of copyright as it relates to music, fair use, and the alternatives available to broadcasting copyrighted music, as well as how this moment in radio history fits into the bigger picture.

Produced by KPFA's Eric Klein.

1. Contact your Representatives:
The Internet Radio Equality Act has been introduced in Congress to address the webcast royalty issue. Use the online form at saveinternetradio.org to find the phone numbers of your Congressional Representatives. Pressure from constituents seems to be working - The IREA now has over 100 Congressional co-sponsors.

2. Share:
This is not a fringe issue: At least 50 million Americans listen to Internet radio each month!

Join KPFA's mailing list to stay up to date on issues that affect media freedom. Do you use social network sites like Digg, Del.icio.us or Reddit? Click Here to add this page to those sites and many others!

3. Support:
Listener-sponsored KPFA can't continue our work without your help! If you haven't become a member, please do so today!

Excellent, in depth analysis of this issue and others facing radio broadcasters at the Broadcast Law Blog.

Watch video of the House Subcommittee on Small Business Hearing: "Impact of Royalty Increases on Internet Radio"

Matthew Lasar has interviewed Bonnie Simmons about the Copyright Royalty Board controversy.

FreePress's Media Minutes podcast has also covered this issue. Listen: download (4.8Mb).

Read: KPFA's Davey D covered the issue in his Mercury News column.