NAB keeps pressure on RIAA

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"Are record labels leaving artists holding the bag?" That’s the question the NAB would like members of Congress to consider before shaking cash out of broadcaster wallets and into the bank accounts of international recording conglomerates. That’s because it looks as though RIAA and its member corporations are a common foe of broadcasters and artists alike.


NAB is putting the message before legislators in their local rags, Roll Call, The Hill and Politico. An ad taken out in those publications highlights the recent lawsuits filed by the various musicians and their estates over unpaid royalties.

According to NAB, 150 House members now are on record as supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. House Concurrent Resolution 244 states that "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 such public performance of sound recordings."

RBR/TVBR observation: For decades this was not an issue when recording companies were actually selling recordings — they were fine with the free promotion provided by broadcasters. Now that the music downloading caught them napping, they suddenly are looking for cash anywhere they can find it. But the fundamental relationship between broadcasters and the recording industry hasn’t changed, so there is absolutely no reason to change the law now. And even if the law IS changed, there is no reason to trust the recording companies to funnel royalty money to artists, no matter how deserving.

See the ad in the pdf attachment below.