U.S. Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA), the House Energy and Commerce Committee vice chairwoman and Communications and Technology Subcommittee ranking member, respectively, reintroduced the Protecting the Rights of Musicians Act on Thursday.
The legislation would tie retransmission-consent payments to broadcasters on whether radio stations they own pay performers for their music.
“Broadcasters have repeatedly told us that retransmission-consent payments are fair because cable and satellite stations make millions by retransmitting local broadcast content,” Blackburn said. “However, when it comes to music, the same broadcasters, many who own both TV and radio stations, sing a completely different tune. Our legislation seeks to modernize outdated law and put an end to a loophole that allows AM/FM radio to avoid paying musicians for their creative work.
“Internet radio pays music creators fair market value for their performances, satellite radio pays music creators for performances, and cable and satellite TV/radio stations pay music creators for their performances. Everyone but AM/FM radio pays,” Blackburn said. “This is a basic issue of fairness that must be addressed, and I look forward to working with Congresswoman Eshoo and moving this legislation forward.”
“Broadcasters receive billions of dollars annually when their local broadcast television programming is aired by cable and satellite operators, yet when it comes to the music played on their AM/FM radio stations, they refuse to compensate the creator of the music. This double standard is patently unfair,” Eshoo said. “The Protecting the Rights of Musicians Act ensures that television broadcasters who opt for retransmission-consent fees must also pay artists when their music is played on AM/FM stations, just as they are on Internet and satellite radio. And as more consumers use Internet radio, the bill ensures consumers aren’t locked into outdated technology mandates and can choose how they access local news and music on their mobile device.”
An additional provision
in the bill would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from
imposing its proposed regulation that radio receiving chips be placed
in all mobile devices. The two congresswomen introduced identical
legislation in the previous Congress.