The Senate Judiciary Committee is looking into the issue of performance fees for music receiving airplay, which would overturn a mutually-beneficial relationship enjoyed by the broadcast and recording industries for decades. The NAB is going to try to make its point with legislators before they ever walk into the committee room. The ad says "If it walks like a duck, and swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck…well, you know. By levying a new fee on radio stations…Congress would be taxing the stations in their backyards to line the pockets of international record label executives." The ad will run in Congress Daily, Politico and Roll Call.
Just in case anybody misses the ad in one of these daily Capitol Hill rags, NAB is also sending along a stuffed toy duck with the ad attached to each legislative office.
RBR/TVBR observation: The real point that needs to be made is that every spin of every tune on every radio station is purely and simply a free advertisement for that tune. If the record companies insist on charging for the "performance," than we suggest that broadcasters insist on charging for the ad.
