As if John Conyers hasn't done enough damage he now wants radio stations to start paying artists each time they play their song.
The Michigan Broadcasters Association vowed to defeat a bill passed Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee, charging it could cost stations in the state more than $63 million annually and threaten the survival of African-American radio outlets.The Performance Rights Act would require AM and FM radio stations to pay a performer's fee to play songs, as is true of satellite, cable and Internet music services.
Wonder how much money Mr Conyers has gotten from artists to introduce this bill into Congress?
But Councilwoman Martha Reeves said she wants to receive royalties. Reeves of Motown fame said she's a part of a group of about 300 artists who helped initiate Conyers' bill."The artists whose records that are being played, they should be paid," Reeves said. "I'm representing my career and legacy. We've had music played for 40 years, and we're not being paid for it. ... We deserve this money."
Eventually free radio as we know it will cease to exsit.
Posted by Quality Weenie at May 14, 2009 08:41 AM | TrackBack