Broadcast royalties/Are you protected?

From: the Station Manager

The CPB (Corporation For Public Broadcasting) has negotiated agreements
with the recording industry's artist royalty companies (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC,
RIAA, etc.) on behalf of non-commercial broadcasters to cover the royalty
fees for both radio and Internet broadcasting (webcasting) for stations,
such as WEFT, that receive a CPB grant. NPR (National Public Radio) and
the NFCB (National Federation of Community Broadcasters) have also been
involved in giving recommendations, as well as at some levels of
neogtiation.

In short, WEFT is covered for both radio broadcast and webcasting streams,
as long as the basic rules are adhered to.

Now, on to the main point of this note. Questions have arisen from
airshifters who are recordeding their music programs on WEFT, and putting
them up on thier blogs, personal websites, links to the station website,
etc. so that others can enjoy them online.

It's important to be clear that what WEFT airshifters enjoy on behalf of
the station's coverage via the CPB, only applies to the broadcasts and
streams that emanate directly from WEFT.

So, unless you, as an indiviudal, are specifically paying a service that
covers the royalty costs and the rights and ability to podcast, webcast,
and do whatever you do with your music audio files off the WEFT airwaves
and off the WEFT webcast stream, please be clear that you are not covered
via the station's agreement with the CPB. You as an individual doing this
on your own, and are not protected from the recording/royalty companies
choosing to pursue the masses who are sharing their shows and "non-commons
based" recordings online.

Now, putting up programs based upon your oral discussions, your
interviews, lectures (always good to get permission from the source
first), and music from "the commons"...that which is ok to be shared, is
another matter.

Both Jason Croft (java@soltec.net) and Paul Riismandel (p-riism@uiuc.edu)
are good resources on this topic. We didn't make the rules. But we want
you to know them.