Friday, March 13, 2009

Radio Radio:Part II

Further to my post of March 1 regarding the comments of the ill-informed Ms. Rought, I just received an email from Bennett Kaufman, which adds a lot of wisdom to the whole debate. I thought I would post it here:


Dear Colleagues:

I just returned from Washington DC where I was part of a coalition organized by MusicFirst, with the help of The Recording Academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing. We went to lobby Congressmen and women for the passage of the Performance Rights Act (HR 848). This bill if passed, will put millions of dollars in our collective hands each year. Broadcast Radio will no longer be able to play music without compensating the Artists who perform these recordings.

This bill takes nothing away from songwriters. It is a new,(for the U.S! Other countries already pay it!) source of revenue for recorded music. The Bill allows for 50% of every dollar collected to go the recording copyright owner (Record Companies or whoever owns the Master) 45% to the featured performer, and 5% to the non-featured performers. This will help Artists directly, and the trickle down from this means Record Labels get money - sign more bands - hire more executives - hire more indie's to promote records - hire more producers/eng/mixers to make records - more work for studios - more work for musicians and singers - more work for video directors - growth to our industry. This will open the coffers of Performing Rights Agencies throughout the world who are holding monies collected for US Artists and Labels, just sitting there waiting on this bill to pass so they can send it to us! Millions!!!!!!!

We all need to take action NOW. You MUST write a short note to your Congressmen and women urging them to support this all important bill. We are all very busy, but please take a min and get everyone in your office and all of your clients and friends... to write!

Don't blow this opportunity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

click here to read about and track the bill: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-848

To find your representatives click here: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone, everyone!!!!

Feel free to contact me for details and to learn more.

Kind Regards:


Bennett Kaufman

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