Re: Pandora :-(

[Adrian Merwood <adrian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, me 2,

SWMBO will not be happy.  We listen from the Sonos.

I am thinking about a custom route for the pandora servers via a VPN
link to the USA - maybe I can setup a mutual arrangement with a US
based DD-WRT using colleague.

Any other thoughts on how to work around this?

Adrian

On 7 Jan 2008, at 23:26, Tim wrote:

> 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)
>
> End quote
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> --
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