WASHINGTON, DC -- NAB announced today that it will be running this ad in Capitol Hill newsletters/publications on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week thanking the more than 250 members of the House of Representatives and Senate for co-sponsoring the Local Radio Freedom Act. The resolution opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations. The resolution, which was introduced in Congress in February 2015, has 230 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 26 in the Senate.
Reps. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX) are the principal sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act (H. Con. Res. 17) in the House of Representatives. Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) are the principal sponsors of the companion resolution (S. Con. Res. 4) 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 such public performance of sound recordings," reads the Local Radio Freedom Act.
The 230 House co-sponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act include (new co-sponsors in bold):
Ralph Abraham (LA-5) |
Glenn Grothman (WI-6) |
Stevan Pearce (NM-2) |
The Local Radio Freedom Act's 26 Senate cosponsors are (new co-sponsor in bold):
Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) |
Dean Heller (R-NV) |
Last week, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry issued a proclamation declaring the week of September 19-25, 2016 as Radio Week in advance of the 2016 Radio Show. In her proclamation, Mayor Barry praised the Radio Show for highlighting the symbiotic relationship between local radio broadcasting and performing artists.
On numerous occasions, both record label executives and artists have recognized the promotional value of free radio airplay. Recent statements include:
"If you want YouTube to be compared to terrestrial radio, then you have to be a good partner to artists like radio is. Radio works with artists so they can present music to their fans in the way they intended. Radio does not provide unlimited, on-demand access to music which can be shared. Radio doesn’t leak music, and it doesn’t make unfinished or poor-quality live recordings available."
-- Azoff MSG Entertainment Chairman and CEO Irving Azoff, “Dear YouTube: An open letter from Irving Azoff,” Re/code, May 9, 2016
"I always love hearing songs on the radio, that’s the highlight of my life."
-- Chairman and CEO of Epic Records L.A. Reid about writing “Every Little Step” by Bobby Brown, February 23, 2016
"I think every bit of research we’ve seen shows that the primary way people intersect with music and learn about music is still radio."
-- Universal Music Group Nashville CEO and Chairman Mike Dungan, The Tennessean, February 10, 2016
"Radio gave it a shot, and it immediately reacted. Every time it got played, it sold."
-- Randy Goodman, Sony Music Nashville chairman and CEO, on success of “Burning House” by country music singer Cam, The Tennessean, January 5, 2016
"Radio is the only reason I’m still kicking today. The only reason I’m making music, the only reason I’m still able to get my voice heard. Even having this conversation right now is because of the radio. The radio has never turned their back on me...Radio has the most influence in my career."
-- Chris Brown, interview on KPWR Power 106 (Los Angeles), December 17, 2015
"It's definitely the priority platform, and country listeners are still a very specific life group. For them, they use radio as their priority place to listen to music, and it's still a destination for our listeners, instead of being an impulse. Radio seems to deliver them the product that they want, so for us it maintains a great amount of importance. The music today is as important as it ever has been."
-- Sony Music Nashville EVP of Promotion/Artist Development Steve Hodges on country radio, Billboard, December 9, 2015
"After I heard it on the radio, it was such a relief. I went to the toilet and cried my eyes out."
-- Adele on hearing radio airplay of her single “Hello” for the first time, November 23, 2015
"It started making waves for our band that we would never have anticipated. All these people started finding our music through this station."
-- Wesley Schultz, guitarist and lead singer for the Lumineers, on airplay of “Ho Hey” by KEXP, November 9, 2015
"Country radio, thanks for having the guts to play it."
-- Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town accepting Country Music Award for Single of the Year, November 4, 2015
"If you’re gonna be heard, you have to get on the radio. The internet alone is not gonna do it."
-- Country musician Ronnie Dunn, Taste of Country, October 22, 2015
"They're still playing Aerosmith all over the radio. I can't believe it. I would not be here if it weren't for you."
-- Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, NAB/RAB Radio Show, October 2, 2015
"You guys on radio have brought our band to life."
-- The Band Perry, NAB/RAB Radio Show, October 2, 2015
About NAB
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.
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