For the free promotion instead of vice versa?
BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is asking Congress to establish a performance royalty on free radio, despite the unparalleled promotional value the record labels and artists receive from radio airplay. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Leahy (D-VT) and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property Chairman Berman (D-CA) have both introduced legislation (S. 2500 and H.R. 4789) that would mandate broadcasters pay to play and promote music. The impact would be catastrophic - for free radio and the local communities who rely on us for their news and information, forcing dramatic cuts both in personnel and content.
Greed strikes again.
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