A message from www.musicFIRSTcoalition.org

On March 31, 2009, we are going to launch the first musicFIRST Phone Bank Day. What this means is that we want all of our supporters across the country to pick up the phone and call their House and Senate Representatives. We want label groups, music unions, recording studios, and every individual to pick up the phone, call Capitol Hill, and express their support for the Performance Rights Act (HR. 848 and S. 379).

To locate your Representatives, you may go to www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Recommendations:

Host a calling party and invite colleagues and friends to stop by for 5 minutes to call their Representatives.
E-mail 15 of your contacts across the country and set a time for all of you to call your respective Representatives on March 31st.
Hang flyers around your office reminding everyone to call their Member of Congress on March 31st in support of this important legislation.
Send an Action Alert email to your membership lists encouraging them to call Capitol Hill on March 31st.
Host a breakfast or lunch at your office and invite local musicians to come and call their Representative.

We all know how much support musicFIRST has across the country. It is time to demonstrate that to Capitol Hill.

Talking Points for Phone Calls

 

 

The Basics:

 

STEP 1: Call the Capitol Switch board at 202-225-3121 and ask to be connected with your Senator or Member of Congress.

  • To find this information go to www.musicfirstcoalition.org and click on TAKE ACTION. Enter your zip code and the site will give you your Representatives names and contact information.

STEP 2: Ask to speak with the aide that handles Judiciary Committee issues or music issues. You are calling in support of The Performance Rights Act.

  • Telephone calls are usually taken by a staff member, not the Member of Congress or the Senator.
  • When calling your Member of Congress the bill number is HR. 848. For the Senate, the bill number is S.379.

STEP 3: State the reasons for your support of the bill. Are you a musician or a person that works in the music industry? Share personal stories about why this legislation would make such a positive impact to the music community in your area.

  • You may know more about this issue then the staffer does.  Frequently staffers are looking for good resources to understand an issue, so use this as an opportunity to educate the staffer.
  • If you must leave a voicemail, state your name and hometown, the bill number (HR. 848 and S. 379), and reasons to support the bill.  

 

 

 

Main Points of the Performance Rights Act:  

 

  • Every time a song is played on AM/FM radio in the Unites States, the performer does not receive any money. For example, when you hear Aretha Franklin sing RESPECT over FM radio, Otis Redding’s estate gets paid (since he was the songwriter) but not Aretha.

 

  • Aspiring performers, local musicians and well known artists deserve to be compensated for their work when it is played on the radio.

 

  • Corporate radio is the only music platform that enjoys this exception: satellite, cable, and internet radio all compensate artists and performers for the use of their music.

 

 

 

Thank the Member or staffer for his/her time and leave your contact information if you would like follow up communication.