The debate over whether US radio should pay performance royalties is hotting up. This article from Forbes details the basic premise of the debate.
Royalties for the featured performers and the session musicians for radio play has been established for some time across Europe and seems to work well. However, certain countries across the world refuse to implement this system and they include North Korea, Ethiopia and the US.
The main argument against this system is that radio acts as free promotion for music. Whilst it is certainly good for musicians to get airplay, one can’t help thinking that the radio lobby has got things round the wrong way. Radio was not established to promote music any more than telephones were. Public and commercial radio were for information and advertising with music helping them. They receive financial gain from using music on their programmes. Perhaps they should start paying for it now and come into line with the rest of the world.