Online Webcasters may get royalty rate reprieve

One of the big controversies in online streaming is rates set by the Library of Congress that Webcasters must pay to play copyright material in a broadcast:

The rates have been an ongoing source of contention between radio Webcasters and the powerful labels that own music copyrights. While the labels have sought higher royalty rates for content streamed over the Web, the online radio stations argue that the government-mandated fees are exorbitantly high and threaten to push most Webcasters off the air.

Now, a bill in Congress filed by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) may give the beleaguered Webcasters a six-month reprieve while the fight the rates in court.