Two Senators Call On Colleagues To Support Local Radio Freedom Act

Some Senators Oppose Performance Royalties

It's been a while since the Local Radio Freedom Act has been in the news, but a letter from two Senators is urging colleagues to cosponsor the latest version of the oft-introduced bill, which opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations.

In the letter, Sens. MARTIN HEINRICH (D-NM) and JOHN BARRASSO (R-WY) note that 27 Senators have co-sponsored the bill, and that sponsoring it "would show your support for the important local news, reporting and public safety functions that free, local radio stations in your state provide to your constituents."

Touting radio's local news and emergency service, HEINRICH and BARRASSO write that in supporting the bill, "the Senate reaffirms its long-held support for maintaining well-resourced, financially stable local radio stations so that they can continue to be the local, trustworthy and timely First Informers upon which our constituents rely," and warn that if a performance royalty is instituted, "such fees will contribute to upending the mutually beneficial economic relationship that has existed for nearly a century, whereby artists and record labels receive valuable free promotion of their music through free airplay on local radio stations."

The bill reads, "CONGRESS should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station broadcast over the air." Last year, a competing bill, the American Music Fairness Act, was introduced that would  institute a performance royalty on radio music airplay.

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