WOBC
Webcast In Jeopardy
by Michelle Sharkey
If
new regulations proposed last February by the U.S. Copyright office
are approved, WOBC, Oberlin Colleges student-run radio station,
may be forced to discontinue its internet broadcast. The proposed
regulations, which could be passed as early as next month, would
impose new restrictions and fees on radio stations that broadcast
over the internet. The deadline to revise or approve the recommendations
is May 21. Under the new regulations, WOBC, which has been maintaining
a webcast of its content since the fall of 2000, could face additional
copyright regulations, as well as thousands of dollars in additional
fees annually.
The proposed regulations, released in response to the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act of 1998, require that radio stations provide detailed
information to the recording industry for every song that is broadcast
over the internet. In addition, stations would have to display this
information online while the song is being played. According to
WOBC station manager and senior Joe Kremer, [Meeting reporting
requirements] is not possible right now; we can report some song
information digitally, but theyre asking for more than we
can provide. The record-keeping requirement poses a particular
challenge to stations like WOBC, which does not have its record
library indexed in a database, and broadcasts much of its music
from DJs personal music collections.
If the regulation is approved, WOBC may not be able to continue
its webcast. [The] record-keeping requirement would have been
really impossible for a volunteer organization
.I think it
would have to be a paid position if it went into effect, said
Lisa Farrar, a volunteer with WOBC and College staff member, who
has played a significant role in fighting the proposed regulations.
Loss of the webcast would severly limit the stations listening
population. It hurts us being in the middle of Ohio
[the
regulations would] limit the community we have the opportunity to
share with, Kremer said.
We should do everything in our power to not have that happen,
even if it means doing some heavy stuff....We have a right to the
airwaves, first-year Crockett Doob said
Other requirements that could place the future of WOBCs webcast
in jeopardy include a new fee structure and content limitations.
WOBC, like other stations, currently pays royalty fees for the songs
it broadcasts. However, under the new regulations the station would
have to pay an additional fees for songs broadcast over the internet
a flat rate of $500 in addition to a fee of 0.02 cents per
song, per listener. In addition, these rates would be retroactive
to 1998, meaning that WOBC would be held accountable for fees dating
back two years to the launch of its webcast. We would be paying
$1500 to stay on the web next year, and we couldnt afford
this, so we would have to go off for at least a while, Kremer
said. Additional fees would place enough of a strain on the stations
budget that webcasting would probably have to cease. According to
Kremer, WOBCs budget for next year will be less than half
of this years figure, making additional fees an even greater
hardship.
I understand that the recording industry has been losing money
in the past few years, and is trying to crack down on free
music but it seems silly to me to charge college radio stations
money because most of them, like WOBC, are non-profit, WOBC
DJ and first-year Monica Lee said.
Along with monetary restrictions, content limitations, which include
stipulations about how often songs can be played from the same album,
could go into effect if the recommendations are adopted. These restrictions
are primarily an attempt to prevent illegal copying of songs broadcast
over the internet. While these dont pose as much of a logistical
problem for the station, they are still problematic, according to
Kremer. Right now, were able to give DJs basically complete
freedom as to what they can play
[content restrictions] goes
against giving DJs complete power over their show.
If the webcast is abolished, listeners will lose more than the opportunity
to listen to WOBC from as far away as Germany, or as near as the
computer lab in A-Level. The WOBC website currently incorporates
special features that are made possible through the webcast. The
playlists for each show are listed on the WOBC website, a feature
that few non-commercial stations of WOBCs size make available.
Also innovative is a feature that allows listeners to search through
playlists by song, artist or record label. Weve built
the website and playlist system around the webcast, said Kremer.
[The] playlist system
is unique; without the webcast,
were a much smaller radio station; with it, were a much
bigger deal.
Stations with webcasts nationwide, both commercial and non-commercial,
have been fighting these new requirements. The Save Our Streams
website, part of the growing grassroots effort against the new regulations,
is a clearinghouse of information about developments in the legislation.
The site (www.rice.edu/cb/sos) encourages individuals to contact
their representatives in Congress to express their opposition to
the regulations.
Despite the uncertain future of internet broadcasting freedoms,
there is still hope for independent broadcasters like WOBC. A roundtable
discussion is being held in May at the U.S. Copyright Office to
address the hardships the record-keeping requirements pose for small
businesses. Farrar remains hopeful that the Office will recognize
the unique challenges that non-commercial broadcasters face. Its
not just about protecting college radio, its about protecting
the diversity of whats available out there, Farrar said.
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