The Devil IS in the Details
or the Saga of Internet Radio, RIAA and Congress

[This weekend we had a major multiday power and cable modem failure-- it figures this news would break.]

When last we picked up this story last Tuesday, Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) who chairs the House Judiciary Committee and sponsored Bill HR5469 to delay the Webcaster's fee payments for 6 months, had pulled the bill from the voting schedule. It also appeared that Sensenbrenner had applied a little down-home common sense into the fray. He and his staff grabbed the webcasters (using the name the Voice of the Webcasters,) and RIAA representatives by the scruff of the neck, thrown them into a conference room and told them to "negotiate a fair settlement or else." For the novice webcaster's who entered the lion's den to deal with the posse from the RIAA it was their first opportunity to see what it is really like to dance with the devil.

For the next couple days into the weekend I was personally bombarded with confidential notes and messages from those inside and outside the negotiations about what was being discussed. While I personally offered my opinions, I remained publically silent, (as I promised,) as to not interupt the progress the group was trying to debate and come to terms.

Now that things been agreeded upon, I can and will offer my opinions publically.

The webcasters involved in the negotiations did one hell of a job for their first time at bat in the lawmaking process. For most of these people who are not lawyers, nor have they ever played in the political circles of lobbying for a cause, I am personally very proud of the work they did, especially against professional lobbyists and lawyers who do this on a daily basis and generally have the morals of an female black widow at mating time. The webcasters learned these "pros" had to be watched at every turn of the process, even when they attempted to exclude the artists from the revenues ethically due them. 

Welcome to the big leagues folks!

The reality check is the RIAA finally got the message. No matter how the RIAA will spin it-- some reasonable amount of money is better than no money. And the webcasters stood up for their principles to pay a reasonable fees based upon fiar percentages of revenue--  and they made sure the artist got a direct portion of the money. 

More later... I'm way too tired right now.

3:34:50 AM