Performance Rights Act

House Committee Endorses Radio Royalties for Record Labels

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 27, 2008 - 10:59am.

Washington - The U.S. House Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property yesterday approved the Performance Rights Act, which would for the first time compel AM and FM radio stations to pay record labels and musicians royalties to play their songs, on top of the current payments to songwriters and music publishers. "A loophole in the law lets AM and FM music radio stations earn $16 billion a year in advertising revenue without compensation the artists and musicians who bring music to life and listeners' ears to the radio dial. It's not right, it's not fair and we are going to make sure it is changed," said Doyle Bartlett, executive director of the MusicFIRST Coalition, a record label lobbying group.