As I settled into my work for the day this morning I opened up Amarok and went to launch one of my all time favorite streaming radio sources, MonkeyRadio only to find that the feed was dead. When I went to the actual website and clicked to start the feed I was taken to SaveNetRadio.org . After reading for a moment and clicking a linked news article, I found that many online music streams are being shut off today in protest.

From the article:

"A swath of the Internet is set to go silent tomorrow, as online music broadcasters shut down to protest a plan that will sharply increase the royalties they pay to recording companies and musicians.
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We're pulling our streams on Tuesday as a way to increase the public awareness of this situation," said Phil Redo, vice president and general manager of the five Boston radio stations owned by Greater Media Inc. in Braintree. Redo and others who stream music over the Internet hope their "day of silence" will prompt listeners to lobby Congress in support of pending legislation to overturn the royalty hike."

I am finding this royalty issue kind of interesting. Is the concept of streaming your music really any different than someone going out to a public park, pulling out a boombox, and playing their favorite music for whoever decides to walk over and listen? Should that guy be paying royalties too? How is it any different?

Regardless, if this plan passes we can expect streaming radio to start sucking. People will have to air commercials to pay for the royalties. Terrestrial radio is a good example of the downward spiral that could become!