My hope is that it's the former not the latter. musicFIRST is a coalition of recording artists, music companies and industry groups that have one aim - having radio pay the performers whose music is played on their medium. musicFIRST will be lobbying Congress for new laws requiring those payments...
The only people who are paid royalties for songs played on the radio now are the songwriters. The age-old argument comes into play and is well stated by NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) executive VP, Dennis Wharton: "Were it not for radio's free promotional airplay of music on stations all over America, most successful recording artists would still be playing in a garage". Harsh words by the man whose organization represents more than 8,000 radio stations. There is another side of the coin however. Martha Reeves of Martha & the Vandellas says that she doesn't necessarily benefit from airplay on one of her songs: "I might have music that's as old as 25 years being played daily and that doesn't mean someone is going to go out and buy my CD or record"...
There is one exception to the current rule of no pay for performers on radio. Radio is required to pay performers only if their songs are played on the Internet during simulcasts or streaming. Record companies own the rights to master recordings and often split royalties from music played on the Internet during simulcasts and/or streaming. The results of the musicFIRST lobbying in Congress will probably bring about hearings...
There is an interesting footnote to the membership makeup of musicFIRST. The coalition's most vocal spokespeople are: Don Henley, Celine Dion, Christina Aquilera and Wyclef Jean who all collect songwriter royalties...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1812] We know what it's good for - absolutely NOTHING: The War of 1812 begins as the U.S. declares war against Great Britain. The conflict begins over trade restrictions...
- 1898] Debuted on this date: The Atlantic City Steel Pier opens with Dick Clark and his 'Cavalcade of Stars" with Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker and Dee Dee Sharp (Oops, I'm a little ahead of myself). But the Steel Pier did have lots of attractions (including the diving horse) which you'll see in this vintage (okay so it's the 60s) footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-ig1BThThY ...1948] Columbia Records unveils its new long-playing 33 1/3 rpm phonograph record (there will be a moment of silence in tribute: Thank you)...
- 1960] Open and shut: Arnold Palmer comes from 7 strokes down to win the U.S. Open...2000] Tiger Woods wins the U.S. Open by 15 strokes...To these famous names we add: Angel Cabrera, winner of this year's U.S. Open. Although he has a baseball name (there are 5 Cabrera's in the major leagues) this Argentine surprised everyone by beating Woods yesterday)...
- 1961] Is that smoke I smell???: "Gunsmoke" airs for the last time on CBS Radio but the show had already moved to TV in 1955. I believe every regular cast member is in this video clip except Miss Kitty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTHn_fSbN-U ...
- 1977] And in this corner: Billy Martin accuses Reggie Jackson of loafing in rightfield during a game against the Red Sox at Fenway. Martin pulls him out of the game and then the fun begins. Players and coaches have to separate the 2 as they fight in the Yankee dugout on live TV. Just another day at the office for the Yankees...
- 1979] Pass the SALT: President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid I. Brezhnev sign the SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty in Vienna. Then they celebrate by downing Vienna sausage and cookies and wash it down with Stoli...
- 1983] Ride Sally Ride: Astronaut Sally K. Ride becomes our 1st woman in space as she and 4 other colleagues blast off aboard the space shuttle Challenger. The same Challenger that will blow up 3 years later in January 1986 (Sally was not aboard that time and is currently retired from the space program)...
- 1984] Talk can kill: Denver Talk Radio host Alan Berg is shot to death outside his home. Two white supremacists are convicted of civil rights violations in the slaying...
- 1996] Guilty as charged: Richard Allen Davis is convicted in San Jose (CA) of the 1993 kidnap-murder of 12-year old Polly Klaas...
- 2004] Must-not see TV: An al-Qaida cell in Saudi Arabia beheads American engineer Paul M. Johnson Jr., posting grisly photographs of his severed head on the Internet. Saudi security forces track down and kill the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping and murder...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
The mention of the anniversary of Dan Quayle's 'potatoe' spelling fiasco brought back this memory to Frank Kingston Smith: "During the announcing of an airshow at NAS Brunswick (ME) in 1992, we were held up for a half hour while VP Quayle arrived to get on Air Force 2 after a visit with President Bush (#41) in Kennebunkport. As the veeps helicopter set down and he walked with his secret service detail, I said 'Mr. Vice President...a pleasure to have you as a visitor to the great state of Maine. That's 'M-A-I-N' and the entire crowd of 30,000 shouted: 'E'!". Great story Frank...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Isabella Rossellini (55), Carol Kane (55), Roger Ebert (65), Paul McCartney (65) ("Dance Tonight" is Paul's new single. Paul plays a mandolin and some weird other-worldly stuff goes on in this video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTNXrkBSp_o and Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock (68)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until Summer and 16 days until July 4th...
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