Survivor: Internet Radio

Last month's "Day of Silence" was an eye-opener on two fronts. First, it is clear that through the significant support of thousands of Internet radio stations - small and large - a message came through loud and clear to Congress, to the Copyright Royalty Board, music performers and the American public that the numbers don't lie, i.e. there is a huge passionate audience out there for Internet radio. That's the good news.

Those I've communicated with at political levels were impressed by the thousands of calls but they don't think the noise created by unhappy Internet Radio fans will change congressional opinion. Congress is already convinced that something must be done to save the industry that could be wiped off the face of the earth with the Copyright Royalty Board's rate increases. It just needs to come up with a suitable compromise.

The second eye-opener has to do with the data we collected at Bridge Ratings over the three days surrounding the "Day of Silence".

1. We learned that 21% of the American public listens to Internet Radio on a weekly basis. That's up from 19% earlier this year.

2. We learned that of this 21% that listen weekly, more than half (55%) did NOT listen to Internet Radio on Tuesday, the "Day of Silence".

3. More interestingly, we found that 45% of that 21% DID listen.

4. 62% of the sample found their preferred Internet Radio station silent on Tuesday.

5. What did this 62% do when they found out their preferred Internet Radio station was silent? 72% of them found another Internet Radio station to listen to.

6. By Wednesday, the day after, audience levels returned to normal. 89% of the 21% had listened.

What's clear by this study is that even if the majority of Internet Radio stations go 'dark' should the royalty rates force them 'off the air', the consumer will find replacements in other surviving Internet Radio stations.

Perhaps this is what some of the big boys who did NOT support the "Day of Silence" have been thinking. Elimination of the majority of the Internet Radio competition will generate larger audiences for those still standing.

And even if the royalty rates skyrocket, perhaps it is feasible that these larger audiences will allow the remaining Internet broadcasters to monetize sufficiently to make the business work.

This may be what SoundExchange and the performers are hoping for, but in all likelihood the consumer will once again get the short end of the stick.