NAB vs. public performance royalty

Future of Music Coalition’s blog has a take on the U.S.  Senate hearings on public performance royalties.

Basically, if a song receives airplay on the traditional radio outlets, the composers/songwriters get paid but the performing artist doesn’t. In the past, everytime the performers’ rights organizations have lobbied congress to repeal the exemption, the National Association of Broadcasters defeats it.

The FMQB quotes NAB chair Steve Newberry:

“I’m trying to find out what’s happening this week, but no luck so far… I’ll keep you posted”What I fail to understand after nearly 30 years in the radio industry is why the recording industry is willing to essentially bite the hand that feeds it. ”

Also from FMQB is this quote from Lyle Lovett:

“When radio plays recorded works, they generate profit for themselves because they attract listeners and advertising dollars. Yet radio has never compensated performers for the value their creative work brings to the radio industry, because the Copyright Act does not protect sound recordings in the same way it protects the underlying songs,” said Lovett. “Let’s face it. No one tunes into a radio station to hear the commercials.”

Can you imagine what radio would be like if the NAB lost this year?