Internet Broadcasting Rules

The Internet has provided the opportunity for new news and entertainment programs to reach people. Many of these programs would never have made their way onto regular radio, but they are able to reach an audience, often with interesting and compelling content.

Copyright Office registration

Those that broadcast over the Internet are required to register with the Copyright Office prior to initiating their broadcast. They have to submit a form called the Notice of Sound Records Under Statutory License, as well as a filing fee.

Interactive service rules

Internet broadcasts allowing those listening to determine song selections from a menu is an example of interactive service. With music, the broadcast has to control what songs are being played, and only allow the listener to give reviews or other input after they have been played, or in the process. Specific musicians can be requested, or excluded, by the listener. Certain songs can also be requested, but cannot be played on demand.

Copyright information

Broadcasters must state the song's title, as well as the artist who performed it, and the album it was pulled from. This must all be included in the stream for the song.

Limitations on repetition

There are specific limitations on how often a specific song, or artist, can be streamed. In a given three-hour period of time, only three songs by the same performer can be played, or from the same album. Only two from the same performer can be played back-to-back.

Restrictions on advance programming

Broadcasters are not allowed to publish a program that tells when a specific song, album, or performing will be played. An announcement can be made that a specific song is coming up, but that cannot be published, and they cannot say the exact time that it will be played.