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UPDATE FROM RHYTHM & BLUES FOUNDATION ON PERFOMANCE RIGHTS ACT
In the New York Times the other day there was an excellent op-ed piece from Nancy Sinatra
.
OPINION | August 04, 2009
Op-Ed Contributor: Radio Free America
By NANCY SINATRA
Terrestrial radio is the only radio platform that still doesn't have to pay royalties to singers and musicians, and that needs to change.
**
Here is the update from our friends at the R&B Foundation:
www.rhythmblues.org
As the battle for the Performance Rights Act rages on, the vitriolic campaign launched by Radio One and other opponents has captured the attention of the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and compelled one of R&B's most beloved divas to make a public statement in her own defense.
"The Hill," a leading Capitol Hill newspaper read by legislators,staffers and lobbyists, highlighted the rancorous debate between Rep.John Conyers and other members of the CBC and Radio One's Cathy Hughes in a front page article (July 27, 2009).
"A battle over music royalties has pitted members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) against the owners of black radio stations, sparking a rare public fight between African-American power brokers that could work against lawmakers used to easy reelection. "The debate has become so intense that the NAACP, the civil rights group that has spent nearly a century advocating for black Americans, has stepped in to call for a truce."
Read More at TheHill.com
Dionne Warwick's high profile support of the Performance Rights Act hasmade her the target of attacks from radio broadcasters. Ms. Warwick hasresponded with her own statement. "I was surprised when Radio One's Cathy Hughes added my name to the list of African American artists and civil rights activists she's attacked in her vicious campaign against fairly compensating musicians for their work. Then again, since smearing African American leaders to protect her profits has become Ms. Hughes siren song, maybe I shouldn't be surprised at all. "Every time we buy a CD or download a song, the artist is paid for their work. You might not know that this isn't the case when a musician's work is played on the radio. That's because corporate radio CEOs like Cathy Hughes are exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to play these artists songs without paying them for their work." Read More atHuffingtonPost.com
The Rhythm & Blues Foundation continues to be an active proponent of the Performance Rights Act. During his testimony before a House JudiciaryCommittee hearing chaired by Rep. Conyers, Foundation Chairman Kendall Minter stated: "This legislation, despite proclamations, is not the end of black radio. It is, however, an important component of fairness to minority artists, including so many of the artists we represent at the Rhythm &Blues Foundation...On behalf of the artist community, we are looking tobe able to have some revenues flow through to the artists, who are in need, who have earned the right to be compensated for the airplay of their work..." As a member of the musicFIRST Coalition, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation will continue to fight for the passage of the Performance Rights Act.
In addition to testifying before Congress and participating in informational town hall meetings held in Detroit, Houston, Atlanta and other cities, the Foundation will be part of a panel discussion to be held during the Congressional Black Caucus' 2009 annual legislative conference in September.
State your support for artist rights and for the Performance Rights Act(H.R. 848) by contacting members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees or your local representative. Go to www.musicfirstcoalition.org to make your position count.
.
OPINION | August 04, 2009
Op-Ed Contributor: Radio Free America
By NANCY SINATRA
Terrestrial radio is the only radio platform that still doesn't have to pay royalties to singers and musicians, and that needs to change.
**
Here is the update from our friends at the R&B Foundation:
www.rhythmblues.org
As the battle for the Performance Rights Act rages on, the vitriolic campaign launched by Radio One and other opponents has captured the attention of the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and compelled one of R&B's most beloved divas to make a public statement in her own defense.
"The Hill," a leading Capitol Hill newspaper read by legislators,staffers and lobbyists, highlighted the rancorous debate between Rep.John Conyers and other members of the CBC and Radio One's Cathy Hughes in a front page article (July 27, 2009).
"A battle over music royalties has pitted members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) against the owners of black radio stations, sparking a rare public fight between African-American power brokers that could work against lawmakers used to easy reelection. "The debate has become so intense that the NAACP, the civil rights group that has spent nearly a century advocating for black Americans, has stepped in to call for a truce."
Read More at TheHill.com
Dionne Warwick's high profile support of the Performance Rights Act hasmade her the target of attacks from radio broadcasters. Ms. Warwick hasresponded with her own statement. "I was surprised when Radio One's Cathy Hughes added my name to the list of African American artists and civil rights activists she's attacked in her vicious campaign against fairly compensating musicians for their work. Then again, since smearing African American leaders to protect her profits has become Ms. Hughes siren song, maybe I shouldn't be surprised at all. "Every time we buy a CD or download a song, the artist is paid for their work. You might not know that this isn't the case when a musician's work is played on the radio. That's because corporate radio CEOs like Cathy Hughes are exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to play these artists songs without paying them for their work." Read More atHuffingtonPost.com
The Rhythm & Blues Foundation continues to be an active proponent of the Performance Rights Act. During his testimony before a House JudiciaryCommittee hearing chaired by Rep. Conyers, Foundation Chairman Kendall Minter stated: "This legislation, despite proclamations, is not the end of black radio. It is, however, an important component of fairness to minority artists, including so many of the artists we represent at the Rhythm &Blues Foundation...On behalf of the artist community, we are looking tobe able to have some revenues flow through to the artists, who are in need, who have earned the right to be compensated for the airplay of their work..." As a member of the musicFIRST Coalition, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation will continue to fight for the passage of the Performance Rights Act.
In addition to testifying before Congress and participating in informational town hall meetings held in Detroit, Houston, Atlanta and other cities, the Foundation will be part of a panel discussion to be held during the Congressional Black Caucus' 2009 annual legislative conference in September.
State your support for artist rights and for the Performance Rights Act(H.R. 848) by contacting members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees or your local representative. Go to www.musicfirstcoalition.org to make your position count.
Comment
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Comment by Gypsy Piano Blues on October 15, 2009 at 10:04pm -
Right now I'm in top forty on this:
Gypsy Piano Blues
With Pain Of Luv no.31
http://www.songvault.fm/charts/blues_songvault_showcase.htm
a blues rock tune(it has blues phrashsings in it)
But BMI (I'm BMI) says no royalties
and this is just one of several places including radio play satellite radi,podcasts ,internet radio ect
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