Issa Introduces Bill Ensures Fair Pay for Performing Artists

Press Release

Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee for Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet along with Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) -- a member of the Subcommittee -- introduced bipartisan legislation that would fix a decades-old inequity in copyright law that allows terrestrial radio stations to play music without compensating performers.

H.R 1914, the Performance Royalty Owners of Music Opportunity To Earn Act of 2017 (PROMOTE Act) would allow performing artists to opt out of having their music played on the radio if the performing artist is not being paid an agreed-upon performance royalty.

Congressman Issa: "The PROMOTE Act calls the bluff of both sides in the debate over performance rights. The terrestrial stations playing these works without compensating the artists argue that airtime provides exposure and promotional value, while the artists argue the status-quo allows radio stations to profit on artists' performances without providing any due compensation. Our bill puts forward a workable solution that would allow those who would otherwise be paid a performance right to opt out of allowing broadcasters to play their music if they feel they're not being appropriately compensated. This is a win-win that helps solve this decades' long problem in a way that's fair to both parties."

Congressman Deutch: "We have been told for years that AM/FM radio provides valuable promotion to recording artists, but those artists have never been given the opportunity to decide for themselves. It should be the artist's choice whether to offer their music for free in exchange for promotional play, or to instead opt out of the unpaid use of their music. I am proud to join my colleague Rep. Issa in introducing the PROMOTE Act to give recording artists more control over their work."

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