The Local Radio Freedom Act was introduced to lawmakers in January by Reps. Michael Conaway (TX-11) and Gene Green (TX-29) in the House of Representatives. A companion resolution was also brought to the Senate by John Barrasso (WY) and Heidi Heitkamp (ND).
53 Words for Freedom
The resolution reads: “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 the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station broadcast over the air.”
Brief but powerful, it makes sure radio remains the valuable public resource it has been since the beginning.
Strong cosponsorship will continue to ensure that local radio stations will not have to pay a performance tax on top of the hundreds of millions in royalties they already pay.
Let’s Send it to the Top of the Charts
The resolution has only just been introduced and needs to build a fan base. At last count it had over 120 cosponsors in both the House and the Senate.
Not too shabby! But together, the people can raise that number.
We here at the Free Radio Alliance are drumming up support, getting music lovers like yourself to contact their representatives and senators and tell them to sound-off in support of free local radio.
If you want to help keep local radio playing, add your voice.