By InsideRadio, insideradio.com, 9-19-18
A sweeping update to federal music licensing law, including changes that could impact how much radio pays to songwriters in the future, cleared a significant hurdle late Tuesday. In a unanimous voice vote, the Senate approved the Music Modernization Act (S. 2823) leading to a chorus of celebration in the music community as the package has grown to include nearly something from everyone, including both music creators and users.
For the radio industry, the most significant inclusion is a defensive measure secured by broadcast lobbyists in recent months after seeing the Dept. of Justice take steps to potentially undo the decades-old consent decrees governing how ASCAP and BMI rates are set. If the Music Modernization Act becomes law, before any such change could be made, the DOJ would be required to alert Capitol Hill of its plans at least 90 days before it takes any steps in federal court to terminate the decrees, including whatever information it has collected about the impact of such a move.
The radio industry, led by the National Association of Broadcasters, believes such congressional review would help ensure the consent decrees aren’t suddenly cast aside thereby throwing the music licensing marketplace into chaos. » Read More