Recording industry unveils new playground strategy

Recording industry unveils new “playground” strategy

Hearkening back to the days of elementary school, the record labels who are pushing so hard for a performance tax have taken up a creative new strategy: name calling.

A new site, piggyradio.com . calls radio stations “piggish” for opposing the performance tax. It likens opposition to the tax to “nosing around for another bailout” and accuses radio of “refusing to pay musicians.” The only difference between this and the playground is that, in this case, any stolen lunch money would be sent to overseas record companies.

You really can’t reason with a schoolyard bully, but here goes:

• The facts are that the performance tax would drive local radio stations to play less music, change format, and in some cases go out of business. That means lost jobs and a big loss for communities who depend on radio.
• Big record companies are asking for a tax which would put money in their pockets at the expense of radio stations. They are certainly in no position to accuse anyone else of looking for a “bailout.”
• Radio airplay is how artists are introduced to new audiences, and how listeners learn about new releases. It’s just plain wrong to say that radio stations benefit from artists’ work without giving anything back.

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