Seattle Times
Since the advent of radio in the 1920s, songwriters have made a little money every time their tunes are played on stations in most industrialized countries. The six children of “Louie Louie” songwriter Richard Berry today share more than $100,000 in royalties every year. But performers like Ely don’t get a dime. A bill moving through Congress aims to change that. It would let performers and the recording labels get a share of the ad revenue that radio stations collect from playing their songs. This pool of royalties could be hundreds of millions a year – which would be crucial for the record industry, as compact disc sales plummet and digital song sales aren’t making up the difference.
RIAA Appeals Copyright Royalty Board Order
Billboard.biz:
As expected, the RIAA today filed a notice of appeal in the the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia asking the court to review the Copyright Royalty Judges’ order on the final determination for mechanical and digital phonorecord delivery rates and terms. While the notice of appeal doesn’t get into specifics it says the CRB order
is “contrary to law, clearly erroneous, arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not supported by substantial evidence.”
STILL NO ROYALTY DEAL FOR STREAMING MUSIC SITES
New York Times:
The fate of Internet radio is still up in the air. Web sites that stream music have been fighting with the recording industry for two years over the royalties that the sites must pay for each song they play. Under last year’s Webcaster Settlement Act, the two sides had until last Sunday to reach an agreement. Simulcasters — FM and AM radio stations that also stream music over the Web — came to an agreement with the industry on Monday. But despite negotiating all weekend, independent Internet radio services like Pandora have so far failed to reach a deal.
PERFORMANCE RIGHTS ACT TO BE REINTRODUCED
Billboard:
The Performance Rights Act – which would require radio stations to pay royalties to artists and labels for songs they broadcast over the air – will be reintroduced into the new 111th Congress this week, according to a letter signed by members of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Songwriters already receive royalties when their songs are broadcast but the legislation is aimed at ending the exemption that terrestrial radio currently enjoys from paying royalties to artists, musicians and master recordings copyright owners.
