Pandora :-(

["Tim" <timsyahoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Anyone else get this email from Pandora?

:-(



Tim.





---

Quote:

This is an email I hoped I would never have to send.

As you probably know, in July of 2007 we had to block usage of Pandora
outside the U.S. because of the lack of a viable license structure for
Internet radio streaming in other countries. It was a terrible day. We did
however hold out some hope that a solution might exist for the UK, so we
left it unblocked as we worked diligently with the rights organizations to
negotiate an economically workable license fee. After over a year of
trying,
this has proved impossible. Both the PPL (which represents the record
labels) and the MCPS/PRS Alliance (which represents music publishers) have
demanded per track performance minima rates which are far too high to allow
ad supported radio to operate and so, hugely disappointing and depressing
to
us as it is, we have to block the last territory outside of the US.

Based upon the IP address from which you recently visited Pandora, it
appears that you are listening from the UK. If you are, in fact, listening
from the US, please contact Pandora Support: pandora-support@xxxxxxx.

It continues to astound me and the rest of the team here that the industry
is not working more constructively to support the growth of services that
introduce listeners to new music and that are totally supportive of paying
fair royalties to the creators of music. I don't often say such things, but
the course being charted by the labels and publishers and their
representative organizations is nothing short of disastrous for artists
whom
they purport to represent - and by that I mean both well known and indie
artists. The only consequence of failing to support companies like Pandora
that are attempting to build a sustainable radio business for the future
will be the continued explosion of piracy, the continued constriction of
opportunities for working musicians, and a worsening drought of new music
for fans. As a former working musician myself, I find it very troubling.

We have been told to sign these totally unworkable license rates or switch
off, non-negotiable...so that is what we are doing. Streaming illegally is
just not in our DNA, and we have to take the threats of legal action
seriously. Lest you think this is solely an international problem, you
should know that we are also fighting for our survival here in the US, in
the face of a crushing increase in web radio royalty rates, which if left
unchanged, would mean the end of Pandora.

We know what an epicenter of musical creativity and fan support the UK has
always been, which makes the prospect of not being able to launch there and
having to block our first listeners all the more upsetting for us.

We know there is a lot of support from listeners and artists in the UK for
Pandora and remain hopeful that at some point we'll get beyond this. We're
going to keep fighting for a fair and workable rate structure that will
allow us to bring Pandora back to you. We'll be sure to let you know if
Pandora becomes available in the UK. There may well come a day when we need
to make a direct appeal for your support to move for governmental
intervention as we have in the US. In the meantime, we have no choice but
to
turn off service to the UK.

Pandora will stop streaming to the UK as of January 15th, 2008.

Again, on behalf of all of us at Pandora, I'm very, very sorry.



-Tim Westergren
(Pandora founder)

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