• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Local Greater Media stations push for defeat of performance tax

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

Greater Media stations like WTKK (and I believe WROR and WKLB) have been running ads urging people to defeat a possible
performance tax. They are asking people to contact such representatives as John Tierney on the North Shore and
Nikki Tsongas in the Merrimack Valley. And now WTKK Insider's Club members are getting an email message which says,
in part, "The international record labels are asking Congress to make radio stations pay BIG fees to broadcast your favorite songs. So, how does paying more for music effect Boston's Talk Evolution? Like many other talk stations in Boston and America 96.9 FM, WTKK is part of a bigger company...Bigger music fees will raise our company's costs and that's taxing."

Greater has even launched a site, helpsaveradio.org, dedicated to the crusade.

And word has it Sirius/XM may have to consistently raise their monthly fees if this goes through... So far I don't know if
other companies plan similar efforts.
 
Yes, the entire broadcasting community is uniting to fight (and hopefully defeat) this bill... the two companies I work for are running similar campaigns as well.

This is the last thing the radio business needs right now.
 
Odd that they're running it NOW, considering that the competing bill won a majority of commitments almost two weeks ago. The performance tax bill (or as I've heard it called: "The Britney Spears Bailout Bill") is, in theory, already dead. I know it ain't over until the fat lady sings, but I would think not too many Reps would change their minds at this point.
 
The Fat Lady hasn't sung yet. Now, it's in the hands of Namcy Pelosi, who will decide whether it goes to the Senate or not. Meanwhile the RIAA is trying to undo some of the Reps who have sided with broadcasters. This is such a high-stakes game that broadcasters cannot take chances. ANYthing can happen. What is really funny (and it shows how desperate RIAA is) is that the RIAA called for an FCC investigation of broadcasters, saying that broadcasters are banning songs recorded by artists who have spoken out for the RIAA fees. In actuality, only one station has tooted its horn about doing such. It was 2 years ago and it was a 100-watt high school station! - I'm not all that sure its an FCC matter anyway.... Aren't stations allowed to protest in any way they choose, as long as it doesn't hurt the public interest? And why is the FCC considering investigating the Personal People Meter from Arbitron? The FCC has its plate full without this on-the-other-side-of-the-borderline stuff. Thousands of pirates out there (clearly an FCC issue) and they're even thinking about stations possibly decreasing Bono/U2 songs?
 
Heard a similar commercial on a WBT in Charlotte the other week while driving down I-85... I don't know if they are running the same ads in MA, but I thought this one was interesting because it didn't chastise anyone who was for a Performance Royalty but instead congratulated all those who stood up against it.

JIBGUY is right though... this is a higher-stakes thing than I think some people are thinking it is, especially with a bailout-happy administration and congress. The Broadcast Community can't claim victory yet - indeed they probably can't consider this dead until the recession ends. I guarantee that this bill, even if defeated, will resurface in a year with a different name and a different approach or try and find its way into some budget legislation. If they can't win a vote, they will try to sneak it in without one.

I contacted both my congressmen the other day. I recommend you all try that as well.
 
More ads are airing; heard them on WTKK. They said the message was also brought to you by the
NAB--as Bob Bittner calls them, the National Association of Beancounters--er, Broadcasters--
but looks like they're on same side of issue here...?
 
Maybe Greater Media has a few extra open spots these past weeks?
 
I find this whole campaign by Greater Media (CBS is also in on it) very very funny. It was only a few years ago that CBS and I believe others tried to charge record companies for playing their artists. I think that began on their country stations and was a failure.

Now the recording industry is doing the same thing to those poor poor corporate giants and boo hoo, IT AIN'T FAIR! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 
Every company, every station everywhere should be on this bandwagon. As jibguy said, "the fat lady has not sung". Until this attempted extortion is completely put to bed, it's all of our business to do everything we can as individuals and corporations to defeat it. If it passes, where do you think these extra millions of dollars are going to come from? More job cuts and the further destruction of the industry. You want a cause to rally behind? THIS IS IT!! Certainly not HD radio.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom