Music-protest news: net neutrality, webcaster fights RIAA gouging

By Scott Gordon | March 28, 2007 | 1:38pm

Aux Features Newswire

Yesterday marked the official kickoff for Rock the Net, a coalition of independent musicians and labels fighting for the preservation of net neutrality. The campaign's list of "founding bands" includes a lot of lesser-known acts, of course, but prominent supporters include Ted Leo, Boots Riley of The Coup, Merge Records, Bloodshot Records, and CD Baby founder Derek Sivers.

At least one Internet broadcaster, 9FM, has responded to newly jacked-up royalty rates for streaming music by ending its promotional CD giveaways, Wired's Gadget Lab blog reports. The station hopes that if it returns all those CDs, the RIAA will have enough money to back off small broadcasters who probably won't be able to afford the new royalty rates.