Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and John Barrasso (R-WY) have taken the Local Radio Freedom Act, which has been gaining steady momentum in the House, and introduced it into the Senate. It would prevent any attempt to impose performance royalties on broadcast stations. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK ) is on board as original co-sponsor.
“Broadcasters appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Sens. Lincoln and Barrasso on an issue of critical importance to the survival of free, local radio,” said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. “A performance tax would threaten thousands of American jobs, reduce music diversity, and hamstring a new artist’s ability to reach radio’s 234 million weekly listeners. RIAA’s attempted money-grab would decimate a radio business reeling from the worst advertising recession in decades.”
Gene Green (TX-29) and Mike Conaway (TX-11) and 156 of their peers have signed on to the measure in the House.
RBR/TVBR observation: We’re going to keep asking Congress for a hearing on the relationship between musicians and labels. Musicians would be tripping over each other axes in the attempt to testify, and C-SPAN’s ratings would instantly double based on musician viewership alone.
