MusicFIRST Releases Ad Clear Channel Doesn't Want You To Hear
The musicFIRST coalition today released the ad Clear Channel and other radio groups and stations across the country do not want you to hear. The 30-second script features Motown legend Duke Fakir of the Four Tops. After reviewing the script for more than six weeks, Clear Channel told musicFIRST NO!
"Clear Channel's decision is further evidence of how corporate radio groups and stations are violating their public interest obligations," said Jennifer Bendall, executive director of the musicFIRST Coalition. "They are not the first to say NO. It just took them a little longer to reject our ad."
In June, musicFIRST asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate corporate radio for violating its public interest obligations. Radio stations across the country refuse to air musicFIRST ads, threaten artists who support the effort to create a fair performance right on radio and continue to run misleading ads produced by the National Association of Broadcasters - all in an effort to further their own private commercial interests.
"At the time of the filing we did not have an answer from Clear Channel. Now we do," Bendall said.
This week, Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Rick Boucher, chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, weighed in, asked the commission to investigate allegations of broadcaster misconduct.
"AM and FM music radio stations are using their broadcast license to protect a loophole in copyright law that lets them earn billions in ad revenue every year with compensating the artists and musicians who bring music to life and listeners' ears to the radio dial," Bendall said. "
All other radio platforms in the U.S. - including satellite, internet and cable radio - pay a fair performance royalty as do radio stations in almost every other country in the world. Radio gets a free ride in Iran, North Korea, China, Rwanda and the U.S. But this is going to change."
The Performance Rights Act has been approved by a lopsided 21-9 bipartisan vote by the House Judiciary Committee.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing on the bill for Tuesday, August 4th. The bill creates a performance right on radio that is fair to artists and musicians, fair to other radio platforms and fair to radio.
Here is the script for the ad Clear Channel and corporate radio don't want you to hear:
DUKE FAKIR: Broadcasters earn billions every year playing The Four Tops and other artists.
ANNOUNCER: Duke Fakir helped define the Motown sound with The Four Tops.
DUKE FAKIR: But artists don't make a penny when our music is played on radio.
ANNOUNCER: Duke's right, thanks to a legal loophole AM and FM radio gets a free ride while satellite and internet radio pay artists and musicians to play their music. A bill before Congress, the Performance Rights Act, will correct this injustice
DUKE FAKIR: All we ask is fair pay for airplay.
ANNOUNCER: Tell Congress to support the Performance Rights Act. Paid for by the Music First Coalition.
1 comment:
Incidently, the Senate Bill number is (S379). The name of the bill is THE PERFORMANCE RIGHTS ACT. Please contact your Senator and let him know you want artists to be paid for their performances.
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