NAB: Anti-Fee Resolution Gains More Support

The National Association of Broadcasters Friday touted the newest congressional supporters of a resolution opposing a bill that would require AM and FM radio stations to pay performers a fee for playing their music on the radio.

The latest lawmakers to sign on in support of the House resolution are House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman emeritus John Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). Their support brings the total number of House supporters of the resolution to 258, well above the number needed for it to pass. NAB argues that the performance rights bill backed by the music industry would place a big financial burden on radio stations. In addition, the NAB notes that performers already benefit from the exposure they receive from radio air play. Marty Machowsky, a spokesman for the MusicFIRST Coalition, which represents several music industry groups including the Recording Industry Association of America, argued that the NAB is taking a hypocritical stand on the issue, opposing the performance rights legislation, while battling cable companies to pay a fair retransmission rate to the broadcast networks for using their programming.