WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In response to the introduction of legislation by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL-22) and Darrell Issa (R-CA-50) that would impose a performance royalty on local broadcast radio stations for over-the-air music airplay, the following statement can be attributed to NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith:
“NAB strongly opposes the American Music Fairness Act or any imposition of a performance royalty on America’s local radio stations. For decades, broadcast radio has enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with the music industry, launching and sustaining the careers of countless artists, promoting album sales and streams, and helping to foster a robust music-creation environment that is the envy of the world.
“We thank the 138 Representatives and 18 Senators who are currently cosponsoring the Local Radio Freedom Act, which acknowledges the long-standing connection between radio and the music industry as well as the tremendous service hometown radio provides to local communities every day.
“Broadcasters remain open to working with the record labels to reach a comprehensive and reasonable solution to this issue that reflects the incredible value provided by local radio to musicians, labels and our millions of listeners over-the-air and online. It is unfortunate that the record industry refuses to have those discussions.”
Background:
The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), which signals Members of Congress's opposition to any potential legislation that imposes new performance royalties on broadcast radio stations for music airplay, was introduced in Congress in May. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) and Steve Womack (R-AR-3) are the principal cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act in the House of Representatives. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and John Barrasso (R-WY) are the lead cosponsors of a companion resolution in the Senate.
"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 the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station broadcast over the air," reads the Local Radio Freedom Act.
The 138 House cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act include:
| Rick Allen (R-GA-12) Mark Amodei (R-NV-2) Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19) Brian Babin (R-TX-36) Don Bacon (R-NE-2) Troy Balderson (R-OH-12) Jim Banks (R-IN-3) Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3) Jack Bergman (R-MI-1) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) Mike Bost (R-IL-12) Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) Mo Brooks (R-AL-5) Anthony Brown (D-MD-4) Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) Larry Bucshon (R-IN-8) Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) Ken Calvert (R-CA-42) Jerry Carl (R-AL-1) Andre Carson (D-IN-7) Buddy Carter (R-GA-1) John Carter (R-TX-31) Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) Steve Chabot (R-OH-1) Liz Cheney (R-WY-AL) Tom Cole (R-OK-4) James Comer (R-KY-1) Jim Costa (D-CA-16) Joe Courtney (D-CT-2) Rick Crawford (R-AR-1) Henry Cueller (D-TX-28) Warren Davidson (R-OH-8) Rodney Davis (R-IL-13) Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12) Jeff Duncan (R-SC-3) Neal Dunn (R-FL-2) Tom Emmer (R-MN-6) Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE-1) Virginia Foxx (R-NC-5) Scott Franklin (R-FL-15) Mike Gallagher (R-WI-8) Mike Garcia (R-CA-25) Bob Gibbs (R-OH-7) Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH-16) Vincente Gonzalez (D-TX-15) Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-PR-AL) Paul Gosar (R-AZ-4) Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) Kay Granger (R-TX-12) Sam Graves (R-MO-6) Glenn Grothman (R-WI-6) Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2) Jim Hagedorn (R-MN-1) Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-4) Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA-3) French Hill (R-AR-2) Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN-9) Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6) Richard Hudson (R-NC-8) Chris Jacobs (R-NY-27) Bill Johnson (R-OH-6) Dusty Johnson (R-SD-AL) Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) Bill Keating (D-MA-9) Fred Keller (R-PA-12) |
Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) Andy Kim (D-NJ-3) Ron Kind (D-WI-3) Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16) Annie Kuster (D-NH-2) Darin LaHood (R-IL-18) Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-1) Doug Lamborn (R-CO-5) Bob Latta (R-OH-5) Al Lawson (D-FL-5) Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11) Frank Lucas (R-OK-3) Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO-3) Elaine Luria (D-VA-2) Stephen Lynch (D-MA-8) Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-7) Thomas Massie (R-KY-4) Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) Dan Meuser (R-PA-9) Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) Frank Mrvan (D-IN-1) Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-2) Greg Murphy (R-NC-3) Ralph Norman (R-SC-5) Devin Nunes (R-CA-22) Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ-1) Steven Palazzo (R-MS-4) Chris Pappas (D-NH-1) Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ-10) Greg Pence (R-IN-6) Scott Perry (R-PA-10) Dean Phillips (D-MN-3) Bill Posey (R-FL-8) Amata Radewagen (R-AS-DL) Tom Rice (R-SC-7) Hal Rogers (R-KY-5) Mike Rogers (R-AL-3) David Rouzer (R-NC-7) Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-2) Bobby Rush (D-IL-1) Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) Gregorio Sablan (D-MP-AL) Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) Kurt Schrader (D-OR-5) David Scott (D-GA-13) Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) Mike Simpson (R-ID-2) Pete Stauber (R-MN-8) Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) Chris Stewart (R-UT-2) Van Taylor (R-TX-3) Claudia Tenney (R-NY-22) Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) Tom Tiffany (R-WI-7) William Timmons (R-SC-4) Michael Turner (R-OH-10) Fred Upton (R-MI-6) Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-2) Filemon Vela (D-TX-34) Tim Walberg (R-MI-7) Jackie Walorski (R-IN-2) Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2) Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4) Joe Wilson (R-SC-2) Rob Wittman (R-VA-1) Steve Womack (R-AR-3) Don Young (R-AK-AL) Lee Zeldin (R-NY-1) |
The Local Radio Freedom Act's 18 Senate cosponsors are:
| John Barrasso (R-WY) John Boozman (R-AR) Mike Braun (R-IN) Susan Collins (R-ME) Mike Crapo (R-ID) Steve Daines (R-MT) Joni Ernst (R-IA) Maggie Hassan (D-NH) Martin Heinrich (D-NM) |
John Hoeven (R-ND) Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) Jim Inhofe (R-OK) Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) Roger Marshall (R-KS) Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Dan Sullivan (R-AK) Jon Tester (D-MT) Todd Young (R-IN) |
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television 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. Learn more at www.nab.org.