Senate Judiciary Committee Okays Performance Rights Act
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Performance Rights Act (S. 379). The bill will close a loophole in copyright law that allows music radio stations to earn billions of dollars each year in ad revenue without compensating the artists, musicians and rights holders who bring music to life and listeners’ ears to the radio dial. A similar bill, H.R. 848, was approved earlier by the House Judiciary Committee. The following statement may be attributed to Jennifer Bendall, executive director of the musicFIRST Coalition:
“Today we are one step closer to righting a wrong that has existed since the early days of radio; one step closer to winning the fight for fundamental justice that has been waged by countless artists and musicians over the last 80 years.”
“We are grateful for the leadership of Chairman Leahy, Senators Feinstein and Hatch and other members of the committee. We look forward to working with them and Chairman Conyers, Representatives Issa and Berman and other members who understand the importance of creating a fair performance right on radio for America’s artists and musicians.”
“We are making unprecedented progress. Two congressional committees have now approved a bill to create a fair performance right on radio. We ask broadcasters and the new leadership at the NAB to join with us. Together we can create a performance right on radio that is fair to artists, musicians and rights holders, fair to other radio platforms that pay a performance royalty, and fair to AM and FM music radio.”
“Radio and music have a bright future together if the artists, musicians and rights holders who bring music to life and listeners’ ears to the radio dial are compensated fairly for their work.”
And it only took us until the dying days of terrestrial radio and several decades longer than the rest of the civilized world! I wonder how many more it will take for this act’s digital counterpart to happen.