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New Music Royalty Bill Reportedly Coming

MusicFirst Coalition says it’s happening Monday, NAB opposed

The musicFirst Coalition sent out a media advisory saying that four lawmakers intend to introduce music licensing reform legislation on Monday.

Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) intend to introduce the “Fair Play Fair Pay Act of 2015,” according to the record label-backed coalition. A press event is slated to be held at SAG-AFTRA headquarters in New York.

Monday is also when the show floor opens for the 2015 NAB Show.

NAB opposes an effort to impose more royalties on radio. NAB EVP Communications Dennis Wharton said it’s “disappointing that this bill retreads years-old policy positions rather than advancing the copyright dialog through policies that help grow the entire music ecosystem. NAB stands ready to work with Congress on a balanced music licensing proposal that promotes innovation and recognizes the benefit of our free locally-focused platform to the benefit of artists and listeners.”

A tad over three months into the new Congress, 147 House members and 11 senators support the Local Radio Freedom Act; the nonbinding resolution states that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax or royalty on local broadcast radio stations.

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