There are two distinct and obvious groups in the music industry. One are the known superstars -- the Beatles years ago, the Jonas Brothers today. Then there are those who have spent a lifetime trying to crack the charts, gaining airplay and notice.
Airplay & notice can be fleeting sometimes. But under a newly proposed procedure awaiting passage, radio stations will be required to pay out royalties to groups who have their music played.
In this day & age, with cutbacks being the norm, how are radio stations supposed to keep funding the artists when they're working with a small budget to begin with?
Radio, though it's been around longer than TV, is a smaller operation. It used to be gigantic until TV began signing away top radio stars of the day. Add to that the recent expansion of XM and Sirius satellite radio, and traditional stations are losing territory, coverage, advertisers and listeners.
The "Awareness for Fairness" bill will not promote continuous airplay simply because there would be too many songs to pay out for. Radio stations have staffs to take care of and pay for. Radio personalities are very passionate about what they do - perhaps more so than in other fields - but they likewise won't take a pay cut as anything more than a slap in the face.
It seems today's artists are more hungry for money than ever. They put the giving musicians, like U2's Bono, in the background when we should be profiling more of his humanitarian efforts. These artists will make more money in a month than Joe Q. Public will make in years. It makes it hard to understand why they are taxing the actual relief valves that play their music and make them known.
Please note than I am not totally against royalties in music. Songwriters & composers are already compensated (deservedly so, since they actually create the sound). Metallica had a legitimate gripe against Napster many years ago and chose not to have them carry their music. But this almost sounds like punishing a whole batch of apples for one rotten one. Once again, the scales of money distribution continue to tilt one way.
Unbelieveable to me is that Mary Wilson, co-founder of The Supremes, is on the panel recommending these payouts. Has she forgotten radio's humble roots, where one would be glad to receive notice?
You have to wonder if this could be the bell tolling for the demise of radio as we know it, if this crazy proposal passes. Rock groups need funding? Isn't that what touring and merchandising is for?
