WXPN will join the Internet Radio Day of Silence this coming Tuesday, June 26, to protest the raising of royalty rates for online radio streams scheduled to take effect in mid-July.
The new rates will also be retroactive for 17 months and payment will become due to the SoundExchange collection organization under the terms of a recent Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision. The new rates could cost WXPN more than $100,000 annually; several times the annual funds raised by business support on the Internet streams.
For its part, WXPN will silence the station’s four streams — XPN, Y Rock On XPN, XPoNential Radio and Folk Alley. No music will be heard but a message will be played directing listeners to sign an online petition to protest this increase. The station is seeking a minimum of 5,000 signatures. An on-air message will direct listeners as well. The station is also planning two minutes of silence on-air at 4pm. [via CITIZEN MOM]
