musicFirst coalition Applauds Watt’s Bill

musicFIRST Executive Director Ted Kalo released the following comments after today's hearing "Innovation in America: The Role of Copyrights" in the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet: 

"We applaud Ranking Member Watt for taking leadership to end the decades long injustice that denies performers' compensation when their work is played on AM/FM radio. AM/FM radio stands alone among all forms of radio in refusing to pay music creators for airing their performances. 

“As we heard at this hearing from Tor Hansen of Yep Rock records and Red Eye distribution, the lack of this right, almost universally recognized in other countries, also robs Americans of the royalties they have earned for the use of their works overseas."

Meanwhile, the NAB is quick to point out that on numerous occasions, both record label executives and artists have recognized the promotional value of free radio airplay.

Recent statements include:

• "Internet, Twitter and everything else put together doesn't equal what country radio does for us as artists and as an industry." -- Country artist Kix Brooks
• "Radio connects the world together. It's my friend and it's everyone's goal to have a big hit song on the radio." -- Lady Gaga producer and songwriter/producer and label executive RedOne, SXSW "Navigating The Waters Of Radio To Your Benefit" panel
• "I want to thank all the people who help us to do what we do, our whole team. I want to thank all of country radio, Southern Ground, all our folks back home." -- Zac Brown Band frontman Zac Brand at the 2013 Grammys
• "I was driving in the car with my mom the first time I heard my song on the radio. It's a pull-over-your-car, get-out-and-jump-around moment, something that you dream of when you're a little girl and you want to be an artist. And that feeling doesn't go away. I'm still excited when I hear myself on the radio." -- Miranda Lambert, iHeartRadio music festival, October 1, 2012
• "To our world, nothing is more important than radio." -- Epic Records COO Mark Shimmel, Advertising Week, October 2012
• "We have a lot of platforms but there is no platform more important than radio."-- Epic Records chairman, songwriter, producer and "The X Factor" judge L.A. Reid, Advertising Week, October 2012