John Conyers..Pay to Play Radio

[Nikki Pooh]

Any thoughts on John Conyers' HR 848 bill which proposes record labels and performers receive a share of ad revenue that radio stations collect from playing their songs. Cathy Hughes [[Radio One) has aired a segment in protest of the bill, and suggests Radio One listeners contact Conyers' office to express opposition of the bill. There are valid points from both sides.

[Locke09]

I've been hearing about this and have not had an opportunity to examine the bill closely. But I'm confused. Record labels and performers have historically complained when their music wasn't played. They have begged stations to play their music, complained bitterly when they felt they were being snubbed and even illegally paid them to play their music. Why would the stations now have to pay them to give their music publicity and air time?

[Nikki Pooh]

I've been hearing about this and have not had an opportunity to examine the bill closely. But I'm confused. Record labels and performers have historically complained when their music wasn't played. They have begged stations to play their music, complained bitterly when they felt they were being snubbed and even illegally paid them to play their music. Why would the stations now have to pay them to give their music publicity and air time?

Here's an article in favor of the bill [[Eurweb)...
Jack Ely, the singer whose 1963 version of "Louie Louie" still makes the rounds on oldies radio, lives with his wife in a mobile home on a horse ranch in Oregon. Ely says they share $30,000 a year from her teacher's pension and his Social Security checks. They are paying down a mortgage. So sometimes it bothers Ely, 65, when he hears his voice singing "Louie Louie" on the radio or in sports arenas, knowing he's not getting paid. "It gets played twice a day by every oldies radio station everywhere in the world. And I get nothing," said Ely, who recorded the song with The Kingsmen before getting drafted by the Army and leaving the band. "I got one check for $5,000. That's all I ever saw from the sale of 'Louie Louie.'"

Since the advent of radio in the 1920s, songwriters have made a little money every time their tunes are played on stations in most industrialized countries. The six children of "Louie Louie" songwriter Richard Berry today share more than $100,000 in royalties every year. But performers like Ely don't get a dime.

A bill moving through Congress aims to change that. It would let performers and the recording labels get a share of the ad revenue that radio stations collect from playing their songs. This pool of royalties could be hundreds of millions a year - which would be crucial for the record industry, as compact disc sales plummet and digital song sales aren't making up the difference. It could also unlock an estimated $70 million to $100 million per year that is collected by radio stations abroad for U.S. artists, but never paid out because U.S. stations don't pay foreign artists in return. France, for example, takes the U.S. artists' portion and puts it into French cultural funds. There have been more than half a dozen attempts since the 1970s to enact a performers' royalty on Capitol Hill. All have faltered to a powerful radio station lobby headed by the National Association of Broadcasters. The association says performers and record labels are already compensated - they sell songs and concert tickets because of the radio airplay they get. The NAB says the long history of record labels paying disc jockeys for extra rotations helps prove the point..."

[raptor56]

that's cool. I was hoping Radio would find some reason to play even more commercials. Now they are going to have to bump up the number of commercial breaks so they can afford the additional money to pay all these royalties. That's wicked awesome...

[LodgeDodger]

Has Martha Reeves offered her opinion on this subject?

[Locke09]

Has Martha Reeves offered her opinion on this subject?

I heard on the radio that City Council voted on whether or not to draft something to send to Conyers regarding this. Martha Reeves voted "No" because she is in support of the bill.

[leland_palmer]

Has Martha Reeves offered her opinion on this subject?

She supports it. They tried to pass some sort motion yesterday but it went down due to a 4-4 tie vote since Monica didn't bother to show up for work.

[Brittz]

Has Martha Reeves offered her opinion on this subject?

Martha stated at the council meeting on Tuesday that she approves of this bill as she wants to get paid. Kenyatta was looking for support to get this bill turned down.

Anyone here wonder why John Conyers is so interested in this bill?

[Locke09]

I'm conflicted. I guess I can see both points of view. The songwriter, who holds one type of copyright, gets royalties. The record label and performer, who hold a "performance" copyright, get royalties from other sources [[satellite radio, internet, etc.) but not from AM/FM radio stations.They don't want the radios stations to be exempt anymore.

I don't see the direct link they are trying to draw between advertising dollars radio stations get and the music they play. The ads are there because of the listening audience, not the songs themselves.The songs are there to attract the listening audience.

Already my head is hurting.

I don't see why anyone other than the songwriter should make money off the performance of a song over the airwaves unless it is being used directly in an attempt to generate money - in other words, the song is a part of the ad.

Are ice cream trucks going to have to start paying royalties next?

[Funaho]

This pool of royalties could be hundreds of millions a year - which would be crucial for the record industry, as compact disc sales plummet and digital song sales aren't making up the difference.

I suspect this is the main reason for the bill; record companies still desperately trying to make a few extra bucks while they're still at least partially relevant. No doubt they'll find a million creative ways to avoid paying any of the additional revenue out to the actual artists, just like they do now.