"They've gotten 50-some years of free play, now maybe it's time to pay up."No doubt looking for any way it can shore up decreasing revenue amid slumping CD sales, the RIAA and several artists' groups are nor going after radio broadcasters to collect additional royalties from aired music. "The creation of music is suffering because of declining sales," said RIAA Chief Executive Mitch Bainwol. "We clearly have a more difficult time tolerating gaps in revenues that should be there." Radio broadcasters already compensate composers and publishers but, never before have they had to pay royalties to artists or record labels. Since the airplay of albums spurs sales, they have long enjoyed a federal exemption that allows them to avoid paying any royalties. "Congress has always recognized that broadcasters generate enormous sums of revenue to record companies and artists in terms of airplay," said NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton. Radio stations also have public-interest obligations that satellite and Internet broadcasters don't have to worry about, he said. The politically powerful Radio broadcasters association (NAB) have previously been able to kill any attempt to repeal the federal exemption but, with satellite and internet radio broadcasters being forced to pay "public performance royalties" and web broadcasters recently being ordered to pay increased royalty rates, there isn't much sympathy for radio being allowed to pay less than its "fair" share. "Most of the artists in the world are kind of middle-class cats, trying to piece together a living," said Jonatha Brooke, a singer-songwriter who is part of the Recording Artists Coalition advocacy group. "It's important to be recognized and paid for our work." "After so many years of not being compensated, it would be nice now at this late date to at least start," the 63-year-old Las Vegas resident said in Milwaukee, where she was performing at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino. "They've gotten 50-some years of free play. Now maybe it's time to pay up." Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Valley Village), chair of the House subcommittee dealing with intellectual property law, said that "Given the many different ways to promote music now that didn't exist as effectively when this original exemption was made," he said, "the logic of that I think is more dubious." This may prove to be an important development in the ongoing Sirius and XM satellite merger talks for it may it be able to break up the singular focus of the NAB's extensive resources and allow the merger deal to go through. Also, this development really puts everybody on notice that the RIAA will leave no stone unturned when it comes to tracking down and finding very nickel and dime it feels that it's owed. More importantly, it's nice to finally see one overbearing lobbying group go after another overbearing lobbying group instead of the consumer for a change.  Looking for more stuff to watch or download?Is 2007 the year the CD died?A few labels now offering a Vinyl and MP3 hybrid (Amazon's new music download store will only offer DRM-free musicTrent Reznor: 'No wonder people steal music'Watch movies and TV shows for free with3 Quick Ways to Watch Movies for FREE!3 quick ways to watch TV shows for FREEBitTorrent torrent sites & search enginesAzureus - A Beginner's Guide to BitTorrent DownloadingWatch The Simpsons, The Office, Jackass, South Park, Lost, X-Men, and More, On-Demand For Free |
 
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How they ever became successful in the first place is beyond me.
Yap, if anything it would stop radio stations from playing all that crappy pop music on rotation. If they have to finally "pay per play" then maybe theyd be a bit choosier in what they play.... :)