ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN...THE BEAT GOES ON
As if society doesn't have enough law suits these days, now comes the latest to re-surface as it
regards RADIO VS. PERFORMERS RIGHTS ACT. Litigants such as Music FIRST Coalition,
FMA(Future of Music Coalition), AFTRA-SAG and various Recording industry groups are after
the "Deep Pockets" of terrestrial radio to obtain Fair Pay for Fair Play. They contend AM/FM
stations should pay for all performers on a record or on recorded music played over the air waves.
Naturally, the NAB and large corporate broadcast entities don't agree. Radio says that paying for
songs played on their stations would be unfair-especially to smaller(small market) radio stations.
Radio has always had a "Quid Pro Quo" association with record companies and artists. Free adver-
tising and promotion for the performers right to compensation for said air play and exposure. The
new fee structure would make it nearly impossible to stay in business. It would force them to resort
to "All Talk" formats, or close down all together. The NAB feels the record labels should pay their
artists. The pro performance people note the fact that Radio has already agreed to compensate digital
downloading on-line sources, as-well-as various Satellite Music outlets. They also say that Radio has
been paying composers and publishers since 1923, why not the performers? It a two sided coin of
which I can see both sides. I don't know how all this started many years ago. It's sort of a which
came first "chicken or the egg" scenario in the making of this "omelette", but both seem to be
arguing over the cost of the frying pan! However, the various remedies proposed, are too complex
thanks to all those lawyers who always have to complicate things more than is necessary.
Why there's even a new litigation campaign brewing on the back turntable from ABS Entertainment
(representing Al Green's music and others) to stop the playing of "Oldies" which were recorded
before 1972... at least until the proposed language for a fee structure for the playing of these "Oldies"
can be determined..yet different for "newer" music played since 1978! Does that mean that these
pre -1972 "Oldies But Greedies" will now be found only on public, ethnic and/or college radio
stations? Will the Temptations, Elvis and The Beatles find their "niche" as the NEW Classical Music
right next to Mozart and Beethoven? Is it a case of re-biting the hand that fed you, or an overdue
overhaul of the the PRA-Performer's Rights Act? Here's a proposal:
If the "performers" wish fair compensation for each Radio station air play they get, then terrestrial
Radio stations should get fair advertising rate compensation for the duration of that "performer's"
music that was played. Maybe then, both sides will discover: "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and
"It's All In The Game", that "It's Now Or Never"so "We Can Work It Out" and be "Happy Together"
if you want some "R-E-S-P-E-C-T .
That's my RadiOpinion....what's yours? - Gary Allyn
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