Congress passes webcasting copyright deal

The US Congress has approved the deal that lets small internet based radio stations pay music royalties as a percentage of their profits rather than shelling out a more expensive per track fee. The decision came just about in time - the per track royalty fee came into operation on 20 Oct and smaller stations didn't reckon they'd survive if the profit percentage system didn't come into place quickly (though the copyright collections agencies in the US came to their aid with a temporary stop gap fees system). Industry players on all sides hailed the bill - pleased it will allow smaller innovative webcasters to legally exist alongside the major players like AOL and Clear Channel.