A new organisation made up of artists and music industry bodies is expected to formally launch in the US later today with the aim of lobbying Congress to create a performance right under copyright law for terrestrial broadcasting.
It is a peculiarity of US copyright rules that performance royalties are not due on terrestrial radio. Artists hope to persuade politicians to alter the law so that terrestrial radio is treated the same as other mediums, and radio elsewhere in the world, but they will have to compete with intensive lobbying from the US National Association Of Broadcasters, a powerful lobby which is set to oppose the introduction of what it calls a "performance tax".
The coalition is expected to announce over eighty high profile artists among its founders. Billboard say that among that list will be Christina Aguilera, Jimmy Buffett, Celine Dion, Earth, Wind & Fire, Don Henley, Wyclef Jean, Toby Keith, Patti LaBelle, John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson. Eleven music industry associations are also expected to be involved.