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The computer continues to insert itself into every aspect of daily life. Now it is a source for music from one's hometown—whether that town is across the state or across the ocean.

A study released earlier this month by The">http://www.arbitron.com">The Arbitron Company and Edison">http://www.edisonresearch.com">Edison Media Research shows that Internet radio broadcasting continues to be a fast-growing medium. The survey of Arbitron diarykeepers also brings to light both the challenges and opportunities that the Internet presents to radio broadcasters, particularly in the much-talked-about arena of e-commerce.

Internet radio streams have received a reprieve from the US Copyright Review Board (CRB) decision to restructure">http://stereophile.com/news/042307net/">restructure the royalty fees for the format. In March, the CRB established fees, effective retroactively to the beginning of 2006, that would be ramped up each year through 2010, with a cost of 0.08¢ per performance (per listener) in 2006, going up to 0.11¢ in 2007; 0.14¢ in 2008; 0.18¢ in 2009; and 0.19¢ in 2010.

Despite the almost daily news reports that some music company has found a way to make people pay for music over the Internet, the fact is that very few people have done so. Most people who are getting their music on the Net are getting it free and like it that way---regardless of the quality. A survey released June 9 and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts---a long-term supporter of National Public Radio---appears to validate this common observation.

Record stores are devoting a diminishing amount of space to classical music, to the dismay of music lovers. Online distribution may offer hope for the genre, according to an in-depth">http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/21/arts/music/21TOMM.html">in-depth report by Anthony Tommasini in the October 21 edition of the New York Times.

The iPod is being very good to Apple Computer.

The iPod is making sweet music for Apple Computer, Inc.