Sep 28th, 2008
Act Fast Or It Might Go Away: Pandora and Internet Radio
It looks like Pandora (and their amazing Music Genome Project) might be in trouble. The “Where the heck did my internet radio go?!” kind of trouble. And it’s not just Pandora in very immediate danger, it is internet radio at large (including my second favorite internet radio station, Radio Nigel). You really do care about Pandora and internet radio, really you do. Here are a few reasons why and an ask as well:
I’ve been fascinated with Pandora and their content delivery model for years now. Pandora tries to demo a new kind of service model to libraries. If they go bye-bye they’ll never be able to work with us. Work with us? What am I talking about? While I haven’t blogged about it before, I know for a fact that Pandora loves and supports libraries. I personally know a group of librarians and libraries that Pandora folks help in a pretty significant way. I’d be happy to talk to you about it in person if you have questions. In the meantime, let me offer my Pandora shirt as an inkling that I am being honest about this. 
So here’s the ask. And it doesn’t come from me:
“From: tim.westergren@pandora.com
To: ***************
Subject: PANDORA urgently needs your help: Bill Just Introduced to Save
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:18:21 -0700
Hi, it’s Tim from Pandora;
After a yearlong negotiation, Pandora, SoundExchange and the RIAA are finally optimistic about reaching an agreement on royalties that would save Pandora and Internet radio. But just as we’ve gotten close, large traditional broadcast radio companies have launched a covert lobbying campaign to sabotage our progress.
Yesterday, Congressman Jay Inslee, and several co-sponsors, introduced legislation to give us the extra time we need but the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which represents radio broadcasters such as Clear Channel, has begun intensively pressuring lawmakers to kill the bill. We have just days to keep this from collapsing.
This is a blatant attempt by large radio companies to suffocate the webcasting industry that is just beginning to offer an alternative to their monopoly of the airwaves.
Please call your Congressperson right now and ask them to support H.R. 7084, the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 - and to not capitulate to pressure from the NAB. Congress is currently working extended hours, so even calls this evening and over the weekend should get answered.
If the phone is busy, please try again until you get through. These calls really do make a difference.
Representative Joe Baca: 202-225-6161
Thanks so much for you ongoing support.
Tim”
Initial response to the above looks positive (today anyway), we’ve all seen tables like these turn on a dime. Please don’t let smart but very, very sneaky lawyers from gigantic corporations take away one of the best things going on the internet!
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Now playing:
Dean Gray - St Jimmy The Prankster
&
Dean Gray - Novocaine Rhapsody
Slacker Radio is actually quite the thing. Slacker radio may well outpace Sirius for ad-free radio that leaves their local based counterparts in the dust, partially because of ease of use, convenience, partially because unlike satellite it’s free and also because Slacker isn’t staring down the barrel of possible bankruptcy. You won’t need installment loans to get this ad free radio, its broadcast for free over the internet. All you need to do is register for free with an email address, and you’re good to go – which you can also do with its counterpart Pandora. No ads, no self important and really annoying deejays, and you pick the playlist. Who would stick to normal radio when you could get Slacker Radio?
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