WPEC, which started Web simulcasts of local news shows on June 21, has since eliminated its entire sports segment from the Web version. I'm really surprised that it became an issue because it's not a revenue-driven thing at all here,'' said Al Forist, the station's operations manager. He said the Web service costs more money than it generates, so WWMT does not want to pay for separate rights. The National Football League currently permits Web simulcasts of highlights for one-time usage but prohibits video broadcasts of entire games on the Internet. Pro basketball officials found a few radio stations that carried live feeds of games over the Internet but the stations stopped after they were contacted by the National Basketball Association.
Restrictions extend to non-sports programming as well.
Premiere Radio Networks, a syndicator of radio programming, allows Web simulcasts for some shows, but not for lucrative holdings such as Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura Schlessinger. The site now has programming from 500 radio and 65 TV stations. Inc., which runs the site, expects continued growth as better technology makes quality feeds possible. The company routinely checks with stations to make sure they have the proper rights. All rights reserved.