[djephex]

NAB Augments Radio 'Tax' Lobbying Blitz
The National Association of Broadcasters is ratcheting up its lobbying blitz against legislation currently moving through the House and Senate that the trade group believes would cost jobs and kill off local radio stations' offerings. The bill, which would end AM and FM stations' exemption from paying copyright royalty fees to performers of the songs that grace their airwaves, is being targeted in a series of new advertisements in the Washington Metrorail system. Their 45 banners are plastered across the Capitol South metro station, which is located two blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The NAB also recently launched NoPerformanceTax.org to beef up its campaign to defeat the bill, which is championed by music industry interests like the Recording Industry Association of America, the American Federation of Musicians, and the Recording Academy.

"Every week, radio airplay reaches 235 million Americans, promoting both new and legacy artists and generating more than a billion dollars in CD and download sales for record labels annually. By contrast, artists routinely sue their record labels for cheating them out of royalty money," an NAB spokesman said in a press release. "We welcome an honest debate over which side has been a better friend to recording artists: America's hometown radio stations or foreign-owned record labels." An official with the MusicFirst Coalition, which supports the bill, said: "No amount of advertising can right a wrong. Corporate radio earns billions without compensating the artists and musicians who bring music to life and listeners ears to the radio dial. Satellite radio, Internet radio and cable music stations pay a fair performance royalty, as so radio stations throughout the world."

[Bucho]

there's nothing about radio taxes in here. it's just forcing american radio to pay out more in royalites per song played when they do so. maybe this will help dilute so much of the trash that's on the radio.

[mikemcgrath]

or it would put more trash on the radio as that would equal less royalties.

[djephex]

Originally Posted by Bucho

there's nothing about radio taxes in here. it's just forcing american radio to pay out more in royalites per song played when they do so. maybe this will help dilute so much of the trash that's on the radio.

I guess i should have put "Tax" instead of Tax.

[J. Phoenix]

This is a big deal guys. Its a last ditch money grab on the part of the Recording Industry, and if passed it will have a huge effect on how terrestrial radio and afterwards the Internet work.

Scary shit, if you're a musician.

[DJPrato]

This is such a big and complicated issue that I've been discussing on and off for years and have yet to form a solid opinion. Which is odd for an opinionated ass like me.

I recently signed to my 7th label and have yet to see a profit on any of my releases (other than tunes that have been licensed for commercials and other sync uses). Yet I don't really fault the label. I don't expect commercial radio to pick up the kind of music I make and I don't feel any anger toward that industry.

It seems the only money to be made is with playing gis and events.Not something I do. But I've seen many popular acts like Stanton Warriors give everything away and make a killing on live dates. So is that the future?

Are original tracks nothing more than an ad for your live shows. And an audition for sync licensing?

[EDENFLUX]

radio absolutely sucks in kansas city. whenever i travel, even small towns have better radio. i go half years (6 months) between listening to our local radio station and nothing.

short - i could careless what they do with radio.

[Cyrus Ramsey]

Tis why I switched to satellite radio 4 years ago and never looked back. I actually just bought a new head unit that has HD Radio built in. I tuned in, checked it out, and went back to my satellite radio and Zune. Commercial Radio on all accounts is just shitty.

[mikemcgrath]

edited for drunk posting, lol.

[EDENFLUX]

seriously!!!! going beyond normal mainstream, it is mainstream of mainstream. our radio stations are really bad. thank god for community radio and college radio shows.