| OPPOSE THE RADIO PERFORMANCE TAX |
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| Wednesday, 06/17/2009 | |
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Take this opportunity to let our congressional delegation know your
opposition to the Radio Performance Tax (H.B. 848). Thankfully
Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito and Congressman Nick Rahall have
signed the House Resolution to oppose the tax. We still need
Congressman Mollohan to sign on the House side and both of the WV
Senators to sign Senate Resolution 14 on the Senate side. The importance and value of a local radio stations to a community can’t be measured…witnessed by the devastating flood in southern WV in May. Stations across the state jumped into action and immediately put out a call to its listeners. With their help, they raised over $100,000 dollars in cash and donations. That was just within the first 10 days! This aide was taken to the flood stricken areas by station vans and rented tractors trailers. These types of efforts could very well go away without the man power at the stations carry them out. To make matters worse, local radio stations have seen their revenues sink anywhere between 10 - 40 percent under the current economic crisis. The timing in imposing additional fees for some would be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. The damage caused by a new performance tax spreads well beyond just local radio stations - it will threaten new artists trying to break into the music business as well and the listeners who rely on local radio. The big, internationally-owned record labels are lobbying Congress to mandate that local radio stations pay a new "performance fee" to the recording industry for the music they air for free on the radio. The value of free radio promotion to record labels and performers is well-recognized. In fact, a recent economic study estimates that the promotional value to the big record labels from free radio airplay translates to between $1.5 - $2.4 billion in music sales annually. All of you I am sure will have plenty of talking points jut relaying what the tax would mean to your stations. If you need more, please contact Michele Crist at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Just clink onto the following links to submit your comments. The Honorable Robert C. Byrd United States Senate 311 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-4801 DC Phone: 202-224-3954 DC Fax: 202-228-0002 Electronic Correspondence: http://byrd.senate.gov//contacts/index.cfm?ID=54 WWW Homepage: http://byrd.senate.gov/ The Honorable John D. (Jay) Rockefeller, IV United States Senate 531 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510-4802 DC Phone: 202-224-6472 DC Fax: 202-224-7665 Electronic Correspondence: http://rockefeller.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm WWW Homepage: http://rockefeller.senate.gov/ The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito United States House of Representatives 2443 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-4802 DC Phone: 202-225-2711 DC Fax: 202-225-7856 Electronic Correspondence: http://www.house.gov/writerep/ WWW Homepage: http://capito.house.gov/ The Honorable Alan B. Mollohan United States House of Representatives 2302 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-4801 DC Phone: 202-225-4172 DC Fax: 202-225-7564 Electronic Correspondence: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it WWW Homepage: http://www.mollohan.house.gov/ The Honorable Nick Joe Rahall, II United States House of Representatives 2307 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-4803 DC Phone: 202-225-3452 DC Fax: 202-225-9061 Electronic Correspondence: http://www.rahall.house.gov/?sectionid=9§iontree=9 WWW Homepage: http://www.rahall.house.gov/ |
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