FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kristopher Jones
202-429-5486
 
WASHINGTON, DC -- A bipartisan group of 200 House lawmakers are now on record in opposition to a record label-led campaign to begin charging local radio stations a new fee for music aired free to listeners. The growing chorus of opposition comes less than a week after the House Judiciary Committee voted 21-9 in favor of a bill that would levy a new tax on radio stations for music airplay. If enacted, the legislation would direct 50 percent of the new fee to the record label companies, three out of four of which reside outside the United States.

Adding their support to The Local Radio Freedom Act, a Congressional counter-measure aimed at thwarting the label-sought fees, are Reps. Steve Driehaus (OH-1), Wally Herger (CA-2), Jerry Lewis (CA-41), and Albio Sires (NJ-13). The resolution, which opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local radio stations, now has 200 House co-sponsors.

"Lawmakers are growing increasingly skeptical over record label claims that this legislation is about 'helping artists'," said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. "And given the historic abuse of artists by the labels, who can blame them? The sad truth is that a performance tax will cripple an artist's number one promotional vehicle -- free radio airplay, and it will transfer hundreds of millions of dollars from America's hometown radio stations into the coffers of foreign-owned record labels."

The Local Radio Freedom Act, unveiled at a February Capitol Hill event hosted by the Free Radio Alliance, was introduced by Reps. Gene Green (TX-29) and Mike Conaway (TX-11). In March, an identical resolution was introduced in the Senate (S. Con. Res. 14) by Sens. Blanche Lincoln (AR) and John Barrasso (WY).

"Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over-the-air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings," reads The Local Radio Freedom Act.

The bipartisan House resolution now has 200 cosponsors. For a complete list, view the entire article at www.nab.org.

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. As the voice of more than 8,300 radio and television stations, NAB advances their interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age.