# Dead Air on Internet Radio

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-air-on-internet-radio/182447>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 17, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-air-on-internet-radio/182447 "2003-06-17T13:13:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-air-on-internet-radio/182447/1 "2003-06-17T13:13:59Z")

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I’m listening to ESPN Radio on my PC, and there is a lot of dead air, presumably where commercials would go if I was listening to it in my car or a regular radio. What gives?

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**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-air-on-internet-radio/182447/2 "2003-06-17T14:40:54Z")

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I think it is because according to AFTRA’s rules replaying the commercials on the internet would be considered a second broadcast of the commercials and they would have to pay the commercial readers extra.