Sens. Lincoln, Barrasso Fight Radio Royalty
Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., have joined more than 150 members of the House in supporting a resolution opposing the introduction of "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local radio stations. The nonbinding Senate measure introduced Monday mirrors one sponsored earlier this year by Texas Reps. Gene Green, a Democrat, and Republican Mike Conaway and comes as roughly 500 local members of the National Association of Broadcasters arrive in Washington for their annual state leadership conference.
Legislation offered by House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers and Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Darrell Issa and Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, would bring over-the-air radio in line with Internet, cable and satellite music services that pay artists for use of their work. Broadcasters have long argued that the promotional value of airplay and the resulting album and concert ticket sales make up for the disparity. NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton said the "performance tax" would threaten thousands of jobs, reduce music diversity, and hamstring a new artist's ability to reach radio's 234 million weekly listeners.
Supporters of the House and Senate radio royalty bills, however, sent a press release pointing out that the legislation now enjoys the support of seven committee chairmen in the House. In addition to Conyers, the Performance Rights Act is cosponsored by Foreign Relations Chairman Howard Berman; Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman; Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter; Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson; Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Edolphus Towns; and Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson.
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