Four Additional House Dems Oppose Performers Royalties for Radio
Four additional House Democrats have voiced their opposition to performer’s rights legislation, NAB has announced. The growing Congressional opposition comes as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) continues to lobby in support of legislation that would require local radio stations to pay performers royalties to labels and artists as do most radio stations in Europe and other areas of the world.
Reps. Travis Childers (MS-1), Mike McMahon (NY-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), and Mark Schauer (MI-7) are the newest co-sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act, a bipartisan resolution now supported by 256 House lawmakers and 27 U.S. Senators, which expressly opposes “any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge” on local radio stations for music aired free to listeners.
“Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings,” reads The Local Radio Freedom Act, which was unveiled at a 2009 Capitol Hill event hosted by the Free Radio Alliance. The resolution was introduced by Reps. Gene Green (TX-29) and Mike Conaway (TX-11) in the House and by Sens. Blanche Lincoln (AR) and John Barrasso (WY) in the Senate.
Comments
By Craig De Maio on March 4th, 2010 at 2:50 am
I am opposed to the royalty tax. I feel that though radio stations do make money off of commercials, etc, it still benefits the artists w/ free advertisement, publicity & career enhancement. A tax for radio stations could possibly put many of them out of business, if that happens, who wins? not the radio stations, listeners or musicians. I think the radio tax should go away.
Thanks
Craig De Maio
By Renie Fischer on March 11th, 2010 at 8:19 am
It used to be the artists would get royalties from their songs from any media form. Now, THEY pay the media to play their videos on TV and songs on the radio.
Here is what happened. Around 2001, Clear Channel bought out many of the privately owned radio stations.
Somehow, artists, no matter who they are, must PAY Clear Channel for airing their music. I am told it’s over $10,000.00 per song per year.
And then, it’s up to Clear Channel to decide how often it is to be played. So, if they don’t like you, you’ll never get your song played.
Same goes for large concerts. The musician pays up front out of his own pocket to the stadiums and larger venues. If they don’t get a sold out concert, he losses money. So when you see a TV music video and hear a song on a Clear Channel radio station, remember the musician isn’t getting a dime from them.
It never used to be this way until Rupert Madock became the tyrant of the airwaves. And I’m sure the Dems are rubbing elbows with him at the annual Bohemian Groove. He should start giving back instead of sucking the life out of us poor musicians. Correct me if I’m wrong but that’s what I know.
Thanks,
Renie