The Performance Rights Act - which would require radio stations to pay
royalties to artists and labels for songs they broadcast over the air -
will be reintroduced into the new 111th Congress this week, according to
a letter signed by members of the U.S. House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee.
Songwriters
already receive royalties when their songs are broadcast but the
legislation is aimed at ending the exemption that terrestrial radio
currently enjoys from paying royalties to artists, musicians and master
recordings copyright owners.
Webcasters,
satellite radio, cable radio services and all other non-terrestrial
broadcasters already pay both performance and songwriting royalties, as
does terrestrial radio in every one of the 30 countries that comprise
the Organization of Economic Cooperation & Development, except for
the U.S., according to a primer that A2IM sent its members today.
The
planned legislation, which will be submitted by the chairman of the
Judiciary Committee John Conyers; Rep. Howard L. Berman; Rep. Darrell
Issa; Rep. Marsha W. Blackburn; and Rep. Paul W. Hodes, was previously
introduced in the prior 110trh congressional session as H.R. 4789, and
in the Senate as S. 2500 on Dec. 18, 2007.
Artists
and labels have been lobbying for artist performance royalties from
radio stations for years, while the National Assn. of Broadcasters has
long opposed paying such royalties under the claim that radio play
serves as promotion that drives music sales.
..
By Ed Christman NY
More
backward thinking from your friendly Major Labels who look out for the
best interest of their artists right? In a perfect world perhaps but in
this world no. The Major Labels refused to believe that we are in a new
Great Depression and they can't seem to give up their
Limos and Jets and contributing to Global Warming. Is it going to be
the point that the fucking idiots are going start asking people putting
their favorite songs up just in top tens for fucking royalties too???
Now that the artists and labels have finally gotten their congressmen in
due to their contributions I suppose it's time for Congress to return
the favor and give bailouts to the big 4 labels for their hookers and
blow. Sure ain't going to help the minor selling artists on the labels.
Music
is the only thing I know that people can't enjoy listening to without
copilous amounts of bullshit from lawyers, accountants and CEOs who have
no fucking clue about music but the bottom dollar. We have seen the
Four Horsemen of the Music Apocalypse, or at least three of them. 1.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996, 2) Polygram being bought out by
Edgar Brotman and evetually turned it into the giant beast Universal and
number 3) The Sony Copy Protect CD Rootkit of 2005 that started the big
downtrend in music. Is this Performance Rights Act the final Horsemen
that will kill off music once and for all? Wasn't radio supposed to be
the promoting of new artists and music? From what I hear when I turn on
the radio, it sure isn't doing a good job of promoting anything outside
of playlists that are 25 to 30 years old.
The music you hear on
free radio today, or top forty is shitty at best and nobody remembers
it. Remember My Love is like Wo? No you don't, nobody does. We have
Lady GaGa at number one for weeks with her crap but you won't remember
her at the end of the year or five years from now. I think the NAB, The
National Association of Broadcasters might have it wrong, radio doesn't
promote the new artist or the rock artist of today but they have a good
argument in opposing this stupid law aiming to try to pad the profits
for the major labels who simply are on borrowed time and still try to
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs or make it difficult for down-loaders to download music. Fuck the major labels anyway.
Buy used.
