Senator wants to cut royalty rate

May 15, 2008 Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., will attempt to attach his amendment that slashes the royalty rate webcasters pay to musicians and record labels to the orphan works bill the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on today. Last year, the federal courts upheld the royalty rate set by a special copyright tribunal that set the rate and decided that most webcasters must pay it on a per-song basis. "Remarkably, SoundExchange's first offer in three months was conveniently extended to DiMA members on Monday night, presumably just after they became aware of Sen. Brownback's planned amendment," said Jonathan Potter, executive director of the Digital Media Assn.

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