No, I’m not Repesentative John Conyers biggest fan.
Perhaps some of you know about the Performance Rights Act, which Conyers introduced. Thus, perhaps you are aware of how the instating of annual performance royalty fees, daily song usage reports, and content restrictions could strangle independent stations, who primarily trade in non-mainstream music. It could also fold college stations that aren’t affiliated with Clear Channel.
The impact seems obvious to me. Taking these measures limits, if not completely voids, civic and student participation in grassroots media production. Also, it seems that the biggest supporters of the Performance Rights Act in the music community are folks like Bono and Billy Corgan (you know, selfish rich people). It just seems like Lars Ulrich vs. Napster all over again.
So, the people who really suffer here are “the little people” — independent stations, comprised of hubs of people who either couldn’t (or, more usually, wouldn’t) play the mainstream radio game. Independent musicians, many of whom are not under contract with record labels or subsidiaries who would benefit from this legislation, suffer too. If there’s no independent station to broadcast (or stream) their music, then fewer people hear their music.
For me, of course, this problem has a human face. On the front page of The Daily Texan is a news story about how the PRA could spell the end for KVRX, UT’s radio station where I, along with many friends, and generations of people before and since my tenure, got their start. I highly recommend reading the article, which succinctly outlines the terms and the stakes.
To quote my partner, who also worked at KVRX, “Bah! Stupid Congress never considers non-commercial radio. Time to write a letter.” I highly recommend you do the same. For example, you could advocate for the passing of the Local Radio Freedom Act. For more information and ways to get started, visit Free Radio Alliance’s Action Center.
