Radio Responds. Calls Azoff A Bully

Shortly after the Azoff lawsuit was filed, the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC), which represents about 10,00 radio stations in music licensing matters, fired off a statement in response. RMLC Executive Director Bill Velez said, “The RMLC will not roll over in the face of the baseless, bullying lawsuit filed yesterday by Global Music Rights.” Here’s the full statement…

“GMR’s lawsuit is an obvious ploy designed to pressure the RMLC in response to the antitrust suit the RMLC filed against GMR in federal court in Philadelphia last month. GMR now tries to hide from reality:   The fight between the RMLC and GMR stems from GMR’s attempt to impose monopoly pricing on the radio industry, and the RMLC’s opposition to that plan. Courts have recognized, for many decades, that without regulation of their rates, performing rights organizations (PROs) like GMR are anticompetitive and violate the antitrust laws. That is why all the other PROs (ASCAP, BMI and SESAC) are subject to rate controls. GMR baselessly criticizes the rates agreed to between the RMLC and the other PROs as unreasonably low, but conveniently ignores that the courts have regularly found them to be reasonable and non-discriminatory. GMR’s claim that the RMLC is a cartel is frivolous and offensive; GMR apparently seeks to force all PROs to negotiate separately with more than 10,000 radio stations – a ridiculously inefficient proposal. The RMLC looks forward to defeating GMR’s claims in court.”