This just in: The Copyright Royalty Board has just denied a motion to rehear arguments for webcasting royalty rates. Their previous ruling, a significant rate hike that threatens to shut down thousands of small webcasters, will stand.

Michael Huppe, general counsel of SoundExchange, a royalty collection agency formed by the RIAA, said “With the resolution of these motions, it is now time to move forward with business. It’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure a vibrant and thriving marketplace for Internet Radio and we intend to work with webcasters towards achieving that goal.”

Sounds like a threat to me. But there are ways to threaten back. How many labels will support these unfair rates? I count only 4.