Sirius XM Music Royalty Info goes out today

Sirius XM is sending out the letters to subscribers today about the Music Royalty Increases. Here is all the info (which we already posted about):

Thank you for being a SIRIUS subscriber. We are dedicated to providing our subscribers with the best programming and listener experience available on radio today. As part of this commitment, we have an important update regarding your SIRIUS subscription.

Music royalty rights were established by the U.S. Congress as part of the Copyright Act. This Act requires payment of copyright music royalties to recording artists, musicians and recording companies who hold copyrights in sound recordings.

These royalties have recently increased dramatically, principally as a result of a decision made by the Copyright Royalty Board, which is designated by the Library of Congress to set royalty rates for sound recordings. Beginning on July 29, 2009, a “U.S. Music Royalty Fee” of $1.98/month* for primary subscriptions and $.97/month* for multi-receiver subscriptions will be effective upon your next renewal. This fee will be used directly to offset increased payments from SIRIUS XM to the recording industry.

Unfortunately, we cannot control the Copyright Royalty Board’s rate increase, but we can offer you ways to save on your subscription. The longer your subscription, the more you save!

Thank you for being a loyal SIRIUS listener and we hope you continue to enjoy the unparalleled listening experience SIRIUS provides.

Joe Zarella
Chief Service Officer
SIRIUS XM Radio

P.S. Questions about the U.S. Music Royalty Fee? Please visit sirius.com/usmusicroyalty for additional information.