matt millon--you said "Obviously in a perfect world you'd get a royalty from this public broadcasting of your songs, as you would do if they were played on Radio 1 or 2 or 3, or on XFM or whatever. But not all radio stations would be able to stay in business if they all did that (eg hospital radio, some local stations, college radio stations, internet radio stations, Resonance FM). If every radio station had to contact the musicians before playing the song, well, they just wouldn't bother. "

In point of fact, all radio stations--broadcast, satellite, and internet, pay licensing fees for the music that the use--except for" pirate stations", which have that name because they are illegal.