In response to the NAB’s announcement that 222 House members now support the Local Radio Freedom Act musicFIRST Coalition Chairman Joe Crowley said what the NAB has on the table is meaningless because its not actual legislation.
Crowley issued the following statement:
“The National Association of Broadcasters and their Big Radio bosses like iHeart and Cumulus are crowing today about a meaningless accomplishment for the so-called Local Radio Freedom Act — a purely symbolic resolution that cannot become law or do anything for local radio stations. Furthermore, the non-binding nature of this symbolic resolution means that it doesn’t prevent any of its cosponsors from also supporting the American Music Fairness Act. In fact, four lawmakers are cosponsors of both.
In comparison, the American Music Fairness Act — a piece of actual legislation — would ensure that truly local stations pay less than $2 per day for all the music they want to play. The bill would provide these stations with the affordability and certainty they need to thrive into the future, while also finally ensuring that artists and music creators are paid for their hard work after decades of injustice.
Any attempt to pit music creators and local radio against one another is a false choice. It’s possible to fight for the artists who make the soundtrack to our lives while also protecting the truly local radio stations we all know and love. They’re not mutually exclusive. The American Music Fairness Act does both, and so can our country.
We look forward to the American Music Fairness Act continuing its momentum in both the House and Senate in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.”
