Group Formed To Fight Broadcast Performance Right

Spanish-language broadcasters Univision Communications, Border Media, Bustos Media and Davidson Media Group, along with National Public Radio, are among the founding members of the newly formed Free Radio Alliance, whose mission is to fight the recording industry's efforts to gain a performance royalty from broadcast radio and TV.

Echoing NAB arguments, the alliance calls the proposed performance royalty a "tax" and says the recording-industry's attempt to draw a parallel between American radio's business model and the often-government-subsidized radio industries in other countries is an "apples-to-oranges comparison."

The alliance's membership also includes the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, the Independent Spanish Broadcasters Association and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, and in its launch announcement the group points to the effect the "performance tax" could have on minority, niche and community radio.

"The victims of this tax would include smaller, specialized radio stations that serve as the cultural lifeline to numerous religious, Hispanic, African-American and other niche communities," said Free Radio Alliance spokeswoman Cathy Rought. "The performance tax would harm the diversity in American radio, against the rightful priorities that Congress and the FCC have set to reinforce diversity over our airwaves."

The alliance also counts a number of state broadcasters' associations among its membership, including groups representing broadcasters in Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Texas.