Pandora Radio

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=30975

This article from late 2008 describes Pandora Radio's predicament with copyright law, and how the Webcaster Settlement Act saved it from needing to pay most of it's ad revenue in royalty fees. Pandora Radio is an internet radio station that allows for free listening to music online. Much like regular radio, the listener is able to choose a station but not a specific song. It relies entirely on advertisements for money. Before this settlement, Pandora was on the verge of shutting down, with over 70% of it's ad revenue going to paying for the copyrighted material that it plays. Copyright Royalty Board's 2007 Internet radio royalty decision that it must pay the outstandingly large fee of $500 per channel was financially wrecking the company and it was looking for a way to pay similar fees to satellite radio, which pays for performance fees that equal about 7.5% of their revenue.

I think this is a wonderful act, which allows for the legal listening to music through the internet, while artists are still getting the respect, recognition, and financial compensation that they deserve. It is a step in the right direction towards stopping the digital anarchy and rebellion against the music industry's astronomical rates by the people, which resulted in the copyright infringement heavy pirating.