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RIAA Seeks Royalties From Radio
SierraPete writes "First it was Napster; then it was Internet radio; then it was little girls, grandmothers, and dead people. But now our friends at the RIAA are going decidedly low-tech. The LA Times reports that the RIAA wants royalties from radio stations. 70 years ago Congress exempted radio stations from paying royalties to performers and labels because radio helps sell music. But since the labels that make up the RIAA are not getting the cash they desire through sales of CDs, and since Internet and satellite broadcasters are forced to cough up cash to their racket, now the RIAA wants terrestrial radio to pay up as well."
This will be the end of music on radio. Period. AM radio is barely a blip on the screen relegated to church broadcasts and a few EIB partners now that 'talk' radio is moving to FM. There is already quite a track record of success using the 'talk' radio format. So when the RIAA does this, the radio stations I don't think will waste a lot of money fighting it. They'll just pull the plug and go to a 100% 'talk' radio programming schedule. I'm mixed about this. On the one I have zero tolerance for windbaggery and Crazy Redneck Libertarian Assholes in Stereo. On the other hand music on the radio truthfully died years ago. The only 'music' on the radio is Ballad Rock, "Country" and the meekest R&B/Hip Hop. So let that die. Even college stations are dropping music programming.
It will be a shame I guess to lose some of the more esoteric stuff like the all Jazz format of WSHA or the weekend world music programs on some of the left side of the band college and public radio stations. But if it means that that the RIAA has to eat dog food and sleep in a cardboard box on the sidewalk then it's worth it.