ASCAP web site license

I heard recently that ASCAP was attempting to get the online services and web sites to sign a license from ASCAP that would require the payment of a fee for a blanket ASCAP license for songs "performed" on the sight. I understand that this fee is based on a number of options, one of which is a payment based on the revenues (gross revenues, as I understand it) of the licensee, or on the number of "hits" or other accesses per web site.

As I understand the state of the technology, there won't be a true peformance, i.e., a real-time playback of the composition, unless the site uses "streaming" technology, which I also understand is not widely available just yet. (My understanding is that the closest thing to streaming is "real audio" which uses a "psuedo-streaming" method, which requires a delay between the time the audio file is downloaded and the time it is heard by the end user, erasing over itself as it downloads more of the audio file).

I also understand that ASCAP plans to impose this license on web site proprietors rather than ISPs.

Any thoughts on the above?

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Christian L. Castle                                         clcastle[_at_]netcom.com
NETCOM, the West Coast's Leading Internet Service Provider.      (408) 554-8649