Independent Radio Threatened with Higher Fees

Sindre Skrede

Today the House Judiciary Committee is hosting a hearing to consider the Performance Rights Act. One activist's missive suggested the act would cost indie radio stations an additional $1000 a year and force DJs to submit monthly reports of everything they've played. It's therefore being fought by the The Free Radio Alliance, which is against the idea of a performance tax on free radio. The counter initiative, which rejects paying royalties for playing songs, is the Local Radio Freedom Act. The whole thing (*by which I mean the Performance Rights Act) sounds like a ridiculous way for a strapped record industry to try and dig pennies from the poor. Indie stations like KUSF and KALX take nothing from recording artists--they promote music by talking up bands, playing singles that encourage people to then purchase CDs, and generally are not money making ventures. Have you heard the pledge drives for community radio stations? These are not cash cows. Why they're facing the possibility of being further nickel and dimed is beyond me.