Music and broadcasting industry lobbyists have ramped up their rhetoric ahead of Tuesday afternoon's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on legislation that would end a royalty exemption extended to AM and FM radio, according to CongressDaily's AM Edition (subscription required). The bills Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers introduced in February would bring over-the-air radio in line with cable, Internet and satellite services, which pay performers -- but broadcasters warn some stations could go out of business.
On Monday, the MusicFirst Coalition drew attention to a July CBO report that the group insists puts to rest the National Association of Broadcasters' refrain that the legislation is a "tax" on local radio. The CBO's analysis of the bill that passed Conyers' committee in May found the measure would not cost taxpayers money to implement nor result in federal revenue. A Monday release from the NAB highlighted a Senate resolution that opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on AM and FM stations, which has attracted 23 co-sponsors. A group of 246 lawmakers signed onto a similar House measure. Additionally, 22 House Democrats wrote to Speaker Nancy Pelosi late Friday urging her not to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.
Read complete overage of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Wednesday's CongressDaily AM Edition.
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