House Opposition to Airplay Royalties Climbs to 240
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Reps. Gregg Harper (MS-3), Alan Mollohan (WV-1) and Senator David Vitter (LA) are the latest lawmakers to co-sponsor the Local Radio Freedom Act, a bipartisan resolution opposing the record industry-backed effort to levy performance royalties on local radio for airplay. The Local Radio Freedom Act is now supported by a bipartisan group of 240 lawmakers and 20 U.S. Senators.
"Day by day, more lawmakers are saying 'no' to multi-national record conglomerates and saying 'yes' to preserving local radio," said NAB Executive VP Dennis Wharton. "As the August Congressional recess approaches, NAB encourages all broadcasters to continue educating Congress on RIAA-backed legislation that would financially cripple radio stations providing free programming to 235 million listeners every week."
The Local Radio Freedom Act, unveiled at a February Capitol Hill event hosted by the Free Radio Alliance, was introduced by Reps. Gene Green (TX-29) and Mike Conaway (TX-11). In March, an identical resolution was introduced in the Senate by Blanche Lincoln (AR) and John Barrasso (WY).
