Comments on: 6/4: Should radio pay a performance royalty to artists?

By: An open letter to black radio from Tony MF Rock « Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner-(The Blog)

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:58:00 +0000

[...] In this “open letter,” Tony Rock discusses the response of black-owned radio stations to the pay to play Performance Rights Act. [...]

By: An open letter to black radio from Tony MF Rock | Crib Notes

An open letter to black radio from Tony MF Rock | Crib Notes — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:43:41 +0000

[...] In this “open letter,” Tony Rock discusses the response of black-owned radio stations to the pay to play Performance Rights Act. [...]

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:30:53 +0000

I agree with the posters who have said that radio is effect paying enough and that a further “tax” on music would harm the industry. Someone mentioned that labels should then be forced to pay stations for airtime – why not? Radio is essentially giving artists free advertising by playing their songs – artists and the labels then benefit from increased interest and sales. Why would anyone think it practical to then charge someone for advertising for you?

Do they charge their “street teams” for advertising an artist? Some of these groups play the artist’s music to help generate interest and they do it for free – how are they different from radio stations? Sure radio stations make a profit – if they can generate advertising from third parties who have no ties into the music that is being played. Labels need to get a reality check about what their continued actions are doing to the music industry and people’s interest in it.

By: Still confused but optimistic

Still confused but optimistic — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:12:48 +0000

You ALL have made me think a little more about this. From what you are saying is that the Artist will still not get paid even if this bill pass?

Trying to understand: An artist is under contract from company, lets say Sony Music. They are paid a percentage for the number of records/units they sell. Are they paid for each time their record is play on air? Are they paid for downloads by itunes or Napsters, etc?The radio station pays BMI & ASCAP for recorded music by artists to have the right to play them on air. So, now the Record companies want the radio stations to pay for artists performance on the record?
Why doesn’t the record company give the artist a bigger percentage in their contract? (I know the record company is trying to have the better deal to make & keep money)
I don’t know, I just think that the radio stations paid for the rights to play music recordings through all of the govt standards and other standards, so how can they be double charged to pay for the records they are playing. That responsibility should still rest with the record companies–they hired the artists and they pay the artists.
Just my take on it. I really hope that our stations do not become talk radio, then no one wins.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:07:41 +0000

That’s wonderful, all we need is more talk radio

By: More Radio Industry Royalty Nonsense « SoundTempest

More Radio Industry Royalty Nonsense « SoundTempest — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 05:11:39 +0000

[...] Should radio pay a performance royalty to artists? [accessAtlanta] [...]

By: Ralph

Ralph — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:02:33 +0000

Radio stations DO PAY to play artist’s music. They pay BMI and ASCAP fees annually and it is based on the radio station revenues. In addition, resturants, retail stores, and other outlets also pay these fees to BMI and ASCAP. If artists and government continue to dip into the revenues of radio stations, soon, very soon radio stations will go the way of a lot of newspapers and other businesses, they will be gone.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:01:28 +0000

harryo said:

“That’s like saying that a wire service writer or photographer should be paid every time a newspaper runs an AP story or picture. AP writers are under exclusive contract much in the same way recording artists were paid under exclusive contract to produce content.”

–But the AP is paid when someone else uses their pictures just as the copyright owners of master recording should be compensated when their product is performed on radio. Whether the performer who doesn’t own a copyright interest in the master recording should get paid from radio performance really is an argument between them and the copyright holder.

By: JJB

JJB — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:25:52 +0000

What is good for the radio stations is also good for the consumer. Get used to the end of “free radio”. Everyone is now demanding their blood, why should the consumer expect anything less?

By: Art Stone

Art Stone — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:22:08 +0000

By the way, Cox Enterprises – the publishers of The Atlanta Constitution operates Cox Radio, which runs WSB and 85 other radio stations, and they are a member of the NAB.

In the spirit of good journalism, wouldn’t that have been worth putting in as a disclaimer in this story?