We support the Performance Rights Act, H.R. 848 and S.379 and urge that it become law in this 111th Congress. It is only fair that performers receive compensation for the songs that they make popular. Performers already receive royalties when their songs are played over satellite, cable and the Internet, and this legislation will help close an arcane loophole that allows the highly profitable radio industry to avoid paying artists what they rightly deserve.
On October 14th NHMC sent a letter to Congress, stating that “we believe in the old-fashioned idea that musicians, like all workers, deserve to be paid for their hard work. Although their lives may look glamorous to some, we know that it is a very challenging line of work, and that fundamental fairness dictates that they be paid. Like others, they struggle to make ends meet, especially in these economically challenging times. Many live paycheck to paycheck, and these royalty payments, for the work they have brought to life, will mean a lot to them. We are writing on behalf of the thousands of backup singers, classical musicians and others who work several jobs and know, in their heart of hearts, that they deserve to be paid for their hard work.”
Corporate radio – which has enjoyed this windfall of free content for years – is trying to hide behind small minority and religious broadcasters, claiming that this Act will put them out of business. Yet this bill is written to protect small broadcasters, as they will pay no more than $5,000 per year (and even less depending on the circumstances) to performance rights.
