I second that. I live in a city with 40 radio stations of just about every type format available. But I love internet radio. I can listen to a station in another city and find out what is going on. I can listen to a couple of very niche music formats that I enjoy that are too narrow to be on commercial radio (and inconjunction with that some specialty programs about stuff I like).

Funny how Clearn Channel and CBS radio have recently jumped on the streaming and even podcasting bandwagon... about two years too late. Now that want to stop the small independents doing the same.

The 1990 book Hit Men by Fredric Dannin profiles how the music mafia (major labels) basically have controlled music since the dawn of recorded music and radio. It is a complex read, so I'm not suggesting everyone dig it up on Ebay and digest it. But the bottom line is that the internet has opened up choice to people and they are pissed because they can't stop it without basically getting the government to introduce fees at a level that independents can't pay.

Imagine if Beach TV (and independent) had to pay fees much larger than (for example) WJHG just to keep or renew their license. That would not be fair.

The ironic thing is that the independent internet radio stations are most likely to help the smaller, "starving" artist who is just happy to be played so people know who they are!

Don't get me wrong... Artists should absolutely get paid for what they do. No questions asked. Just as if some other company asks to use Tripsmarter's content... Tripsmarter should get compensated (or work out a deal for a link or whatever)... but Tripsmarter owns the content.

I think that internet radio stations that operate independently should pay a percent of profits to the artists. In fact, that is an amazingly fair deal because if an internet radio station isn't making much (or any) money, then they certainly aren't profiting off of using the artists music.

But placing a per listener, per song fee on internet stations when broadcast stations pay more of a blanket, generic fee is a restriction on free trade.