This treatens us all. The only "artists" speaking out or taking action against Napster was a big-time heavy metal band. The biggest "complaints" were from huge corporate music intrests ( record company colects Ten dollars worth of royalties on artist's behalf. Keeps nine dollars and change for "expenses". Record company gives the balance to the artist. Artists lose more money from Sony and AOL/Time-Warner than they would or could ever have lost from Napster).

Many of us depend on web-casters, internet radio, and the like for exposure. Many of us are still at the level at which we are sacrificing payment for exposure anyway. With the complex,labor intensive, and extremely expensive system the Big Money Boys want to put in place for music on the web (which makes web-casters pay a)more than coventional broadcasters and b)pay twice) both web-casters (original programing on the web) and internet radio (simultanious web-casting of a conventional broadcast station) could disappear in America.

If it happens here how long do you think it will be before the multi-nationals turn thier attention to the countries of the EC?

The proposed system could prevent us, right here at Mudcat, from getting Mudcat Radio (even the existing older shows) or possibly even the midi's for the melody to that songs we want to learn.

In America, PLEASE, write to you Congressional Representetive, both of your Senators and the LIbrary of Congress (which is making the actual judgement call on this). DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN!!!

In the rest of the world be ready to act. If they succeed here there is no reason to believe that they won't be coming after you next.

Stephen