A couple weeks ago, we reported how the Performance Rights Act was under negotiations:
The bill primarily aims to (1) amend the Copyright Act by granting equal rights to musicians when receiving compensation from terrestrial broadcasters, and (2) establish a flat rate for non-commercial and public terrestrial stations that make less than $1.25 million a year. Essentially, the bill wants to place the same enforcement on terrestrial radio that already exists on internet and satellite radio." --[Performance Rights Act Currently Under Negotiations; Local Radio Freedom Act Gaining Steam
->http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Performance-Rights-Act-Sure-to]
Last Monday, the recording industry called AM-FM broadcasting a "form of piracy":
On Monday, the recording industry sent the National Association of Broadcasters -- the trade group representing the $16 billion a year AM-FM broadcasting business -- a can of herring to underscore that it believes its arguments against paying royalties are a red herring. The NAB says its members should not pay royalties because AM-FM radio “promotes” the music industry. ...] "It's a form of piracy, if you will, but not in the classic sense as we think of it," said Martin Machowsky, a musicFirst spokesman. --[Recording Industry Decries AM-FM Broadcasting as "A Form of Piracy" (Thanks James K.)
On Thursday, the Performance Rights Act passed a U.S. House subcommittee and is heading to a full Judiciary Committee:
A U.S. House subcommittee passed a bill Thursday that would require radio stations to pay royalties to artists for playing their music. The Performance Rights Act passed on voice vote in the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. The next step for the bill is a vote by the full Judiciary Committee. --House Subcommittee Votes Yes On Royalty Bill
Next week?
