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Performance Rights Act In 2010, NHMC supported the Performance Rights Act, H.R. 848 and S.379 and urged that it become law in the 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. For more information on Performance Rights Act, click here. [SOURCE: Fierce Telecom, AUTHOR: Sean Buckley] 6/29/10 Hispanics in the United States are emerging as a powerful telecom services buying force. According to The Insight Research Corp.'s new report "US Hispanic Use of Telecommunications Services 2010-2015," U.S. Hispanic communities will spend $257 billion on telecommunications services, accounting for 17 percent of all residential telecom expenditures. Not surprisingly, the report illustrates that a big contributor to this growth are people under age 18. This segment will spend more money than non-Hispanics on new mobile and wireline devices to access the Internet and high bandwidth content. "If the future of mobile carriers depends on their getting consumers to buy their data plans, then the U.S. Hispanic community is right in the sweet spot, and will be receiving increasing attention from both wireline and wireless carriers' marketing departments," said Robert Rosenberg, Insight Research in a release. For more: Read the release here.
CALL TO ACTION: END HATE AND MISINFORMATION IN MEDIA!- COMMENTS DUE MAY 7TH!! For years certain groups have been dehumanized and misrepresented on mainstream media. Now YOU can do something about it! In January of 2009, the National Hispanic Media Coalition filed a petition for inquiry at the Federal Communications Commission, asking the agency to examine the link between hate speech and hate crimes, and to allow citizens across the country to voice their concerns. Over the past year the FCC has utterly failed to answer those requests!
In the mean time, countless people have been the victims of violent, and sometimes deadly, hate crimes. Hate crimes against the Latino community have risen over 40% in just the past few years. We know that hate speech not only inspires violence, but that it also has a profound effect on the psychological well-being of our children.
Here’s what you can do:
1. You can file comments at the FCC, explaining how the media is failing to serve your community. Although the FCC has not addressed NHMC’s petition for inquiry, it recently initiated a proceeding about “The Future of Media and Information Needs of Communities in a Digital Age.” This may be our only chance to voice our grievances with the FCC! In this proceeding, the FCC asks some very broad questions about how the media is serving the news and informational needs of our communities. Comments can be short and simple. The FCC MUST hear multiple voices on this issue to stir it out of inaction. Comments can be filed at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/upload/display?z=4k9cq. Comments are due May 7th, so please act quickly.
2. You can spread the word to anyone you know who may be interested in getting involved.
For more details about the FCC's proceeding you can read the attached three-page memo.
Letter to Obama Regarding Media Policy Issues for His New Administration This letter to President Obama and the FCC was drafted by a collaboration of organizations, NHMC included, and individuals stating their support for the President's new Media Policy agenda. They hope to hold him accountable to his effort in creating a more vibrant and diverse media system while delivering the benefits of the open internet and new technology to all Americans. To read the full letter please click here.
Letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski In this letter NHMC, along with other organizations, renews their call for "the commision to continue making increased diversity a top priority in fulfillment of the statutory mandate to 'promote the policies and purposes' of the Communications Act that 'favor diversity of media choices, vigorous economic competition, technological advancement, and promotion of the public interest, convenience and necessity.' To read the full letter please click here.
LOCAL TV NEWS DOESN'T SHARE THE PUBLIC INTEREST [SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: James Rainey] 3/17/2010 The Federal Communications Commission says that, in exchange for the right to use the airwaves we all own, a broadcaster must operate in the "public interest," airing "programming that is responsive to the needs and problems of its local community." From what a USC Norman Lear Center study has concluded -- Los Angeles television news stations manage just 22 seconds of local government coverage for every half hour on the air -- broadcasters follow FCC rules like L.A. drivers follow stop signs: as helpful reminders for anyone who doesn't happen to be in a big hurry. And make no mistake, the people who run TV news are in a big hurry -- to create a space for news not already appearing on the Internet, to cling to viewers fleeing to their Xboxes and DVRs and to prop up endangered advertising revenue, any way they can. Anyone even vaguely paying attention has recognized for some time that local TV operators take something less than a keen interest in elevated civic discourse. You're sure to learn about the Guitar Hero championships. (Slammin' video. No analysis required.) But don't expect to find out much about who's running for Assembly or just how much library hours will be reduced by the latest city budget cuts. To read the full article click here
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