Americana Goes Silent - National Day of Silence

From an email from Gregg Geil, host of AmericanaRoots.com:

On June 26th, AmericanaRoots.com will participate in the National Day of Silence for Internet Radio. The next month will determine the future of Internet Radio after the Copyright Royalty Board announced licensing rate hikes of 300% which will go into effect mid-July. These rate hikes will devastate Internet Radio as we know it. I firmly believe that Internet Radio will be the delivery system of choice in the near future to households. I also believe this is why big companies are fighting to knock off the current crop of small Internet Radio stations. A bill is currently in Congress that would level out the royalty rates so that Internet Radio would pay the same as Satellite radio. I urge you to help show your support for this bill by contacting your local Congress Personality and voice your support. The future isn't that far away and Internet Radio continues to be a place where Americana Music spreads. You can find out how to get involved and the quicks steps for contacting your Congress by visiting SaveNetRadio.org.

I personally feel that it's very important for us to protect our small Internet Radio stations. The powers that be have already made it very difficult to host one, but this will be the final straw for small grassroots organizations like ourselves, AmericanaRoots.com, Folk Alley, and others.

Although HickoryWind.org does not currently host a radio program, we've kicked the idea around several times. I strongly support what these folks are doing, and I think the Internet "airwaves" should be free. Give em hell, Gregg, and the others with you. Keep it open, keep it free.