As of 2012, approximately 103 million Americans listen to Internet radio each month.
Many different platforms provide consumers access to music services, such as terrestrial radio (i.e., traditional AM/FM over-the-air radio), satellite radio, Internet radio, and subscription music services on cable TV. However, the rules used to determine which types of royalties each platform must pay and how much each has to pay vary from service to service. While the existing royalty system was created to foster innovation and facilitate fair compensation, today it achieves neither goal. It is long overdue for Congress to create a balanced system that provides fair compensation and encourages innovation.