Performance Rights Act Making Headway

Prior to this site’s creation, I penned a few articles on my personal blog about the Performance Rights Act, the bill that would entitle musicians to royalties for sound recordings played on the radio.  Presently in the US, only the composer receives a payout when a song is played on the radio, largely because radio was traditionally seen as a promotional tool for musicians.  Its utility as such is somewhat arguable now, especially since internet and satellite radio are required to pay sound recording royalties.  Plenty of dollars in both support and opposition have been thrown at the bill, but with the recession and subsequent governmental regime change, the steam that the act gained in 2008 slowed.  As green shoots start to slowly appear and the government once again turns to how they plan to protect the country’s intellectual property, the act is once again gaining steam.  This week, the department of commerce released a letter (pdf here) offering strong support for the bill.  MusicFIRST, the lobbying coalition pushing for passage of the act, in a somewhat disingenuous post, claimed that the Obama administration supports the act. A letter from the Department of Commerce does not in any way indicate support from the president, however.  Expect plenty of pushback from the terrestrial radio industry, calling it a tax and threatening that it will cost jobs.