| Eyes Of The Poet Radio occupies a narrow | | | | rates apply to each song played on Internet |
| niche in the world of Internet radio. The | | | | radio, to each listener. In addition to the |
| station streams New Age and Ambient music | | | | new rate increases, the CRB added a minimum |
| along with audio poetry, interviews, and | | | | fee of $500 per channel, per year. |
| information about books. "The original idea | | | | |
| behind creating the station was to give audio | | | | "In my opinion, this new rate structure is |
| poetry a chance to be heard, for free, | | | | just brilliant," says Douthit. "It's |
| anywhere in the world," according to Brian | | | | designed to kill off most of Internet radio |
| Douthit, owner of Eyes Of The Poet Radio. | | | | as we know it. Really, it's the plan of a |
| Poetry isn't one of those high-demand, | | | | true mastermind." Douthit points out that |
| blockbuster sellers that consumers clamor for | | | | the large fees collected from 2006 along with |
| on a daily basis. For most people, poetry is | | | | increased fees for 2007 will bankrupt, or |
| a once in a while sampling, if they even | | | | financially cripple, most large Internet |
| choose to listen at all. Douthit chose to | | | | radio providers such as Yahoo, AOL, and those |
| broadcast the audio poetry with New Age and | | | | like them who have large audiences. The $500 |
| Ambient music believing that the music | | | | yearly fee per channel is aimed at the small, |
| wouldn't crowd out the poetry. It's been a | | | | niche stations like Eyes Of The Poet Radio. |
| good fit, but Eyes Of The Poet Radio is | | | | "For me, the additional fees could bring my |
| unique, and "unique" in the Internet radio | | | | total costs to $1000 per year," Douthit adds. |
| business means fewer listeners. "I'm not | | | | "It's enough to make me say, 'Hey, this is |
| really concerned about how many listeners I | | | | getting serious!' And it makes me ask myself |
| have," says Douthit, "I'm just glad the | | | | if operating a small Internet radio station |
| station exists for those who want to listen. | | | | is really worth it." Douthit receives little |
| It's very much 'art for art's sake'." | | | | or no income from operating his station- a |
| | | | fact of life for most small broadcasters on |
| Eyes Of The Poet Radio may soon be off the | | | | the Internet. The new $500 fee is enough to |
| air. On March 2nd, the Copyright Royalty | | | | stop most small broadcasters from operating, |
| Board (CRB) announced its determination of | | | | and enough to prevent new broadcasters from |
| the new royalty rate increases Internet radio | | | | even starting. "It's almost as if someone |
| broadcasters must pay to license music. | | | | asked how to tackle both the large and small |
| Although this is the year 2007, the new rate | | | | broadcasters?" says Douthit, "This new rate |
| increase also applies to 2006, and continues | | | | structure enacted by the CRB is how. |
| to increase each year through 2010. These | | | | |