Lower Royalty Rates for Webcasters Are Urged

Twenty members of the House of Representatives urged Librarian of Congress James H. Billington to set lower royalty rates for online radio broadcasts than a copyright arbitration panel recommended in February.

The letter to Billington, which came in response to protests from online broadcasters, says Congress wanted to compensate copyright holders without stifling “the media promise of the Internet, including the opportunity for new cultural and competitive programming.”