Artists are pushing for the Fair Play, Fair Pay Act, which would require all radio formats, including AM/FM, to pay musicians royalties when playing their music. Currently, only internet and satellite radio pay royalties, while AM/FM radio pays nothing despite earning billions in ad revenue from listeners. Many famous artists have lent their support to the bill, as the current system provides little compensation to musicians for popular and widely aired songs. Proponents argue musicians deserve fair pay for their work, while radio claims "promotional value" is sufficient, though artists and experts say this model no longer fits in the digital era.

1. (NU) - Americans can listen
to the radio viaAM/FM, Internet,
satellite, or cable TV. The music
is the same, but payments to the
artists are not. Internet radio pays
musicians a small amount, but
AM/FM radio pays them nothing.
Most experts agree that this
policy doesn’t fit the digital era,
and many musicians say that
it hurts performers and will con-
tinue to adversely affect the
music industry.
“When many of us think of
the song, ‘Respect,’ we think of
Aretha Franklin,” notes David
Byrne of the Talking Heads.
“Many people are shocked to learn
that Aretha never made a penny
from all the radio broadcasts of her
performance. Many musicians re-
ceive little compensation or strug-
gle to pay bills despite having
widely-aired recordings.”
Musician Sheryl Crow adds,
“DionneWarwickdoesnotgetpaid
for her beautiful recordings when
they are played on the radio. She
had to file for bankruptcy.”
Artists’ advocates, such as
MusicFIRST, point out that
AM/FM radio earns billions of
dollars a year selling ads to lis-
teners while musicians struggle
to make ends meet.
Agrowing number of top stars
including Rosanne Cash, Elvis
Costello, Cyndi Lauper, Imogen
Heap, Common, Elton John, and
R.E.M., are taking the fight to
Washington. Several of these
artists helped launch the Fair
Play, Fair PayAct, bipartisan leg-
islation that would pay musicians
the same royalties no matter what
kind of radio uses their work.
The National Association of
Broadcasters claims that the Fair
Play, Fair Pay Act is unnecessary,
because artists are paid by the ra-
dio in “promotional value” or “ex-
posure.” But many artists disagree.
Grammy-winning artist Rosanne
Cash says, “Exposure is something
you die of,” and musicians deserve
fair pay for their work.
Top U.S. Copyright official
Maria Pallante also questions the
decades-old justification for not
compensating artists. “As con-
sumer preferences shift away from
music ownership, the potential for
sales is becoming less relevant,
and the promotional value of ra-
dio less apparent,” she says.
Many artists believe the Fair
Play, Fair PayAct can and should
become law.
“I support the Fair Play, Fair
PayAct because I love music and
I think all musicians should be
paid,” says singer Cyndi Lauper.
“Every democratic country in
the world pays musicians for ra-
dio play,” says Cake’s John Mc-
Crea. “We think the United States
is a good enough country to do
that as well.”
To learn more, please visit
www.musicfirstcoalition.org.
Musicians Fighting BackAgainst Big
Radio for Performance Royalties
MUSIC
NewsUSA
Ronnie Spector, Cyndi
Lauper and Elvis Costello
have joined forces.
NewsUSA