Commonwealth Broadcasting President/CEO Steve Newberry, who also serves as Chairman of the NAB Joint Board, provides this op-ed piece in response to reports of majority support in Congress for the Local Radio Freedom Act, a resolution opposing performance royalties for broadcast radio.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? NOT YET.
By Steve Newberry
Radio broadcasters reached a major milestone earlier this month. The Local Radio Freedom Act, a bipartisan Congressional resolution opposing the record label-led effort to charge stations for airplay, is now backed by a majority of the House of Representatives.
The Congressional support for local radio is a testament to the hard work of station operators across America, our state association leaders, and NAB staff in Washington. It also demonstrates the winning merits of our arguments: Namely, that local radio is a national treasure that provides unparalleled promotional exposure for musicians and their record label companies.
