PRN reported April 16 that radio stations nationwide are pulling the plug on Web streaming because of contractual problems with on-air talent (an AFTRA agreement pays
them three times their usual fees when they appear online.) Not so, says AFTRA spokesperson Dick Moore. "We believe that the decision to pull programs off the Web was driven by
concern for potential liability for violating copyright laws." If stations were concerned about the 300% markup, he says, they could easily black out the commercials. A recent law
passed by Congress says royalties must be paid for Webcasting copyrighted sound recording, an expense Moore believes most radio stations would rather not deal with. "It's much
easier to just pull the plug," he says.
(Moore, 212/719-9570)