NABOB Chief Pens Letter to Congress

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Jim Winston says the Local Radio Freedom Act “reinforces crucial protections from burdensome performance royalty fees that would further devastate black owned broadcasters during an already incredibly difficult time.” In THIS LETTER, Winston is urging members not to pass a new tax on local radio stations.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I would also add that a tiered royalty system, based on market size, would be much fairer.

    Right now, radio market #201, for example, pays just as much in royalties as market #1. Obviously, the revenue generated by stations in small or medium markets is vastly less than in the large and major markets. Ultimately, for small market broadcasters, with a music format, the numbers no longer work with this one-size-fits-all royalties model. There’s just too much competition out there for things to stay the same or get more expensive for small operators.

    Is that what we really want? Broadcasters, in markets large or small, are supposed to be about local, community service, not serving the music industry in New York or L.A.

  2. 100% agree…but, I would frame this issue as “all small businesses”, and not just black- or minority-owned broadcasting companies.

    The bottom line for any small-business broadcaster is that this issue is about the “green”, and not about black, white, female or whatever. These song royalties add up very quickly for music stations…the stations that are providing free exposure for these songs, performers and songwriters. At some point, enough is enough.

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