Advocacy copy prepared for public sharing and legislative outreach. Feel free to reuse with credit.
Every five years, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) sets the streaming royalty rates for U.S. broadcasters. The 2025 decision will lock in rates until 2030. If nothing changes, many small and startup stations won’t survive. This is about more than just broadcasters—it’s about artists, listeners, and the diversity of voices in our audio landscape.
AM/FM stations in the U.S. do not pay performers or record labels for over‑the‑air broadcasts—only songwriters and publishers. This exemption is decades old.
But when they stream: The moment a terrestrial station simulcasts online, they must pay SoundExchange at the same unaffordable rates as pure‑play internet stations. That also disadvantages smaller AM/FM outlets trying to reach digital audiences.
Killing small broadcasters shrinks the royalty pool. Affordable licensing means:
Many unlicensed stations exist because legal rates are unaffordable. A fair licensing system would bring them into compliance, generating more revenue for artists and leveling the playing field.
Lowering barriers won’t flood the market with junk. The audience should decide who survives—not an artificial financial gate that blocks promising stations alongside weak ones.
The CRB’s mandate is to ensure fairness and innovation—not only to protect incumbents. Every major broadcaster started small. If we block new entrants today, we smother tomorrow’s creativity.
Canada, the EU, and Australia commonly use revenue‑based or scaled flat fees tied to audience size. It’s affordable to start, sustainable to grow, and fair to artists. The U.S. can adopt a hybrid model that works for everyone.
Biggest immediate fix: Startup Safe Harbor. It would instantly make launching legal stations achievable.
Silence will be read as consent.
Whether you’re a listener, artist, or broadcaster, your voice matters:
Then, sign and share these petitions:
Tip: Post your note to your representatives publicly on LinkedIn/X and tag your station, local press, and music organizations.
We’re not asking to avoid paying royalties—we’re asking for a fair, scalable system that makes it possible to pay them. If we reform now, we can keep stations alive, increase artist payouts, and preserve music diversity. The 2025 CRB decision will shape internet radio until 2030. If you care about music, independent voices, and fair pay for artists, the time to act is now.