Although the National Association Of Broadcasters publicly maintains their position opposing performance royalties, could they be considering a compromise? Reports are circulating that the NAB recently held an in-person meeting in Washington, D.C. of Radio Board members followed by a secret conference call of the 50 state association executives. Radio-Info reports that former NAB Radio Board Chairman Bruce Reese's talk at last month's Conclave may have made its way to the NAB and put a scare through the association. Reese said radio is being squeezed by Congress to produce a compromise...
There is fear that if the NAB doesn't compromise, MusicFirst will persuade a legislator to tack on a bill giving the Copyright Royalty Board the right to set the rate for a new performance royalty. As one observer says, "the music industry is desperate because they know this is their best shot, since control of Congress may shift after the November elections. They're throwing everything at this now"...
There's no word from either the NAB or MusicFirst on any of this. The NAB continues to stand by their opposition to performance royalties and MusicFirst uses whatever it can find to back their stance. Their website home page continues to display their mantra: When radio plays music, the recording artist isn't paid, radio stations are Wall Street-owned corporations making big profits and performance right is a paycheck for middle-class musicians...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1892] An ax job: Andrew and Abby Borden are axed to death in their Fall River (MA) home by Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Accused of the killings, Lizzie Borden was eventually acquitted. This horrific crime inspired this little ditty: "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41"...
2.1944] Nazi raid: Nazi police raid the secret annex of a building in Amsterdam and arrest 8, including 15-year old Anne Frank...
3.1964] Body count: The bodies of Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney missing since June 21 are found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi. The trio were civil rights workers...
4.1977] Giving us Energy: President Jimmy Carter signs a measure establishing the Department of Energy...
5.1985] The newest member of the 300 club: In a game I was fortunate to attend, Tom Seaver, pitching for the White Sox wins his 300th game against the Yankees on 'Phil Rizzuto Day' at Yankee Stadium. One of the Scooters' gifts was a 'Holy Cow'...
6.1987] In all fairness: The FCC rescinds the "Fairness Doctrine" requiring "balanced reporting on controversial issues and political campaigns", aka Equal time...
7.1993] Guilty cops take the fall: A federal judge sentences 2 LAPD cops to 30 months for violating Rodney King's civil rights...
8.1997] Takin' a walk: 185,000 Teamsters union UPS drivers walk...
9.2004] Guilty as charged: Staten Island ferry boat pilot Richard Smith pleads guilty to manslaughter charges in a ferry crash that kills 11 the previous October...
10.2005] Russians rescued: A mini-submarine carrying seven Russians becomes caught on an underwater antenna 600 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. They're all rescued 3 days later thanks to a British vessel...
Music Memories:
•1974] Released on this date: "Loves Me Like A Rock" - Paul Simon...1987] "Dirty Dancing" LP...
•1974] #1 on this date: "Feel Like Makin' Love" - Roberta Flack...
Commentary:
The Jimi Hendrix Legacy: A 40th anniversary salute to Electric Lady Studios will be presented by the Audio Engineering Society on August 24 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at the studio, 52 West Eighth Street in Manhattan. The salute will be hosted by David K. Bialik, who promises to play one of Jimi Hendrix's guitars with his teeth - just kidding - but it will be an event to attend. While admission is limited, CBS will provide audio and video streaming of the event via the AES Website: http://www.aes.org/ For additional information, contact the AES by clicking here...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Crystal Bowersox (25), Jeff Gordon (39), Roger Clemens (48), Michael Gelman (49), Barack Obama (49), Billy Bob Thornton (55), Richard Belzer (66), Cleon Jones (68) Frankie Ford (71) and former White House reporter Helen Thomas (90)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until Pro Football HOF induction (Grimm, Jackson, Le Beau, Little, Randle, Rice & E. Smith), 5 days until 1st NFL pre-season game, 33 days until Labor Day and 36 days until the NFL opener (Minnesota @ New Orleans)...
