Groups Ramp Up Radio Royalty Rhetoric
A group of minority groups and civil rights organizations on Tuesday wrote to Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy in opposition to legislation he has introduced that would force AM and FM radio stations to pay new fees to performers and record labels. The bill, which the groups argue would be detrimental to minority-owned stations and the communities they serve, could be teed up for a vote by the Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Some have estimated that the measure would throw at least a third of minority broadcasters into bankruptcy.
Among those signing onto the letter include: the Black College Communication Association, the Hispanic Institute, International Black Broadcasters Association, Telecommunications Professionals, Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Spanish Broadcasters Association and UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc.
A similar measure sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers underwent a major rewrite before his committee took up the bill. The version that ultimately passed his panel included a number of carve-outs aimed at appeasing small and minority owned stations and ultimately won the support of the NAACP, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and a number of unions. It remains to be seen what changes could be made to Leahy's bill in hopes of calming the fears of broadcasters.
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