Radio rally strikes back over royalty bill
Posted on Mar 05, 2010 in News
Members of the Free Radio Alliance yesterday greeted Capitol Hill staffers on their way to work and asked them to oppose the Performance Rights Act. Capitol Hill’s largest publication, The Hill, wrote about the rally this morning. The gathering was in response to the RIAA-backed MusicFirst Coalition’s press conference with Dionne Warwick that same day.
The Free Radio Alliance says radio airtime is free promotion that is key to singers’ careers. In fact, they pointed out with posters, that’s how they heard Dionne Warwick’s songs in the first place. Imposing a royalty would only enrich big record labels, including those overseas.
A performance tax on radio broadcasters in the US would have crippling consequences. College, local and minority-owned stations would be the hardest hit with many of them shuttering their doors. Broadcasters are struggling in this economy already – added fees and royalties paid to large record companies overseas will only add to that burden.
