In the Senate, Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) have introduced companion legislation to a House measure which would head off attempts to assess fees on broadcasters for performers, on top of those already paid to composers. The House measure was introduced by Gene Green (D-TX) and Mike Conaway (R-TX). The latest senator to come aboard is freshman Jon Tester (D-MT). He joins a bipartisan list of backers that also includes Wayne Allard (R-CO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and James Webb (D-VA).
RBR/TVBR observation: It is great that members of both parties are able to see through the attempt to force broadcasters to subsidize multinational recording conglomerates, using performers as a shield. In pursuing this, the recording companies merely illustrate their ongoing lack of judgment, which could eventually cost them of free over-the-air promotion and make their situation even worse than it is.
