This next story is a bit troublesome and I hope folks take it seriously... Music Industry executives are really trying to make some power moves on all fronts to control what we get to see and hear. As it stands now a lot of underground artists are able to access fans all over the world thanks to Internet and College radio stations that stream music. Many of you on this list either run your own stations or you're on college radio. Hence you clearly understand the benefits.

I'm just getting back after visiting more then 10 different cities and I can honestly say, if you close your eyes, you would be hard pressed to tell what city you' re in based upon you listening to the radio. One is likely to hear the same 20 songs down to the rotation whether you're in Boston, Philly or Madison, Wisconsin. These same 20 artists are usually connected to one of the 4 major record labels. Sure, you may hear a regional artists here or there. For example, you may hear E-40 in the Bay Area but never WC who is out of LA. You may hear Kool G Rap in New York, but you'll rarely hear Twista who is out of Chicago.

In dam near every city from little towns like Madison, Wisconsin to larger cities like Boston, I got bombarded with CDs. Right now, I have more then 100 CDs from local cats who are on small independent labels. Many of them cats have banging material and darn near all of them are dealing with the same challenge-and complaint LACK OF MEDIA ACCESS. They may find themselves in a mixshow here or there..but it's with every little regularity.

For the most part their local stations aren't trying to touch them and its usually for the same lame subjective excuses that has bigger holes then swiss cheese. Cats hear every excuse under the sun from their material not fitting the station's format to the age old 'are you being played in other cities'. When cats go to other cities to try and get airplay, the radio station which is usually owned by the same company wants to know why they aren't being played in their home town. When they go down to smaller markets, their told the PD has his hands tied and he's gotta follow the big boys. When they bounce to the so called Big Boys, they are told the increased competition means they have to play it safe hence they cannot take a chance on new material.

Rather then continously beat their heads against the wall, many have turned to Internet and College Radio. These outlets have always been viable alternatives, but in the age of media mergers and corporate media monopolization such outlets have taken on even more importance. Internet and college radio have provided many of these artists a platform and the opportunity to level the playing field. The fact that Internet radio and college radio which is streaming can be picked up all over the world has helped open doors. But now the industry big wigs are looking at dwindling record sales and placing blame on The Internet and streaming...

This is next article is courtesy of the Riverfront Times.. It explains a little bit of whats going on...