Green Linnet Lawsuit

This article is a little old, but I understand that litigation is pending. You can read the full context here:

http://www.afm.org/public/press/press_10-10-03.php

And here is a forum thread over at eFolk about this lawsuite:

http://www.efolkmusic.org/efmbbs/thread-vi...did=71&posts=19

Since this involves many of the musicians we play, I thought it would be appropriate that Highlander Radio expresses their support of these musicians:

We started Highlander Radio a few years ago and closely monitored the U.S. Copyright laws concerning webcasting and song performance royalty payments. In case you did not know, it is illegal to broadcast through a webcast copyrighted songs and performances unless you pay a royalty payment of .07 per song, per performance. So, if 80 people listened to 1 song, then a royalty payment of 5.60 is due. Play an average of 340 songs in one day would amount to 1,904 in royalty payments for that one day. As you can see, internet radio webcasting is very expense indeed. In fact, ontop of the royalty payments stations must pay, it is required to register with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. This can run about 1800 a year in license fees.

You can read more about this here: http://www.copyright.gov/carp/webcasting_r...ates_final.html

Even if you play independent artists, it is possible that the songs they record have copyright owners, so it is very difficult to escape these payments.

The reason I am writing about this, is because we made a decision to insure that our broadcast was compliant with the new laws. We use to be listed on shoutcast.com, but since shoutcast does not pay royalty payments we were forced to find a provider who does pay the license fees and royalty payments. We found that provider through live365.com and our broadcast has been playing there ever since.

We did this because we wanted to make sure that 1) We were complying with copyright laws and 2) Artists and musicians were rightfully paid their royalty payments.

We play alot of the music on our station from the artists mentioned in this thread (Eileen Ivers recently sent us her new CD!) and it is a shame that these royalty payments are never reaching the artists. I certainly hope something is done about this and I certainly hope that someone examines the royalty payment process to make sure that the artists actually receive the revenue that our station, and other internet stations are producing.

Highlander Radio stands 100% behind these musicians and artists!

a question
is highlanderradio a non-profit organization?
if so, I am wondering if any royalty discount for non-profit organization

I'd certainly hope Don't count on it though.

Now, if only when I bought a CD, I could bypass the label and pay the artist directly! One of the things I like about the Celtic Music, is so much of it is from indipendant artists, and that can be done!

Down with the greedy labels!
May the artists triumph and reep the rewards due them in full!

Work for supper. Sing for pay. The ARTIST should get the revenue earned by the use of the gifts God gave them. If the labels don't understand that then shame on 'em. Yes they will get rich though at the expense of the artist's who have poured their souls, hearts and even sweat in to labours of love. A CD costs <$.01 in bulk, overhead and infrastructure spread out over several hundreds of thousands will also be <$.10 and the consumer pays $19.00 - $25.00 US for a single CD. And the labels bitched about the likes of Napster. They also should be banned. Lets pay for what we listen to. Live music is worse, the promoters, etc get more than they fair share and the cycle starts, artist raises cost and up it goes all the 'way 'round to the consumer. Damn, that's what happens everwhere and for every thing. Look at "Pro" Sports(?). Well, it's time for me to get off my soap box 'cause I could fill this entire message and still not have 'bitched' enough. As a middle class working stiff I have to ration my CD and concert/baseball etc as I can afford only one or two minor league games a year and about 1 CD a month. The rest goes out to bills and keeping a four generation home supplied. See I can ramble can't I?

Amen to that! Let's just bypass the labels and order CDs directly from the artists! and pay them up to $50/CD directly, just to spite the labels! (not really, but pay them what we're paying the labels anyway...

Yet another reason I admire artists like Loreena McKennitt and Heather Dale, who run their own labels. I'd say they don't have this problem, or of they do then either they understand it better (and coult enlighten us?) or only have themselves to blame? I'd like to think they don't have the problem of a label squeezing them (and their fans) dry.

let's look at the REAL tragedy
though it happens in Hong Kong, it also happens in elsewhere too
a long-lived dj mourn about the music industry, that even a good singer don't have good sale, on the other side, the models, even don't know how to sing, can help the record company to gain big money
that's why I refuse to buy any of recently released Chinese pop, as well as American pop
this is not 80's, man
but I see some Celts just use their heart to make their "product", and their "product" attracts me like a magnet
man, I have been listening music for more than 30 years, from 60's to now, then I know what is the best, I stick on Celt, then I have a good reason to stay on

We have dealt with Green Linnet through a Canadian distributor for about 5 years now. There are a number of amazing artists signed to their label so it took a lot of soul searching for us to finally decide that we aren't reordering anything from them in the future. They don't seem to care about the retailer who sells their goods either.

I have read the article
this is ridiculous
use the royalty to hire the lawyer?!
this is absurd!!!
I think jandr.com, amazon.com, virgin.com should aware of that
and don't sell that from GL