Overview
- At a Dec. 9 Senate Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee hearing, Gene Simmons and SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe testified in support of S.326.
- The American Music Fairness Act would require AM/FM stations to pay performers for airplay, whereas current law generally compensates only songwriters.
- Huppe called the lack of a terrestrial radio performance right a glaring loophole and noted that countries such as Russia and China pay performers.
- He said the U.S. gap costs American creators hundreds of millions of dollars abroad because other nations withhold reciprocal payments.
- Broadcaster Henry Hinton opposed the bill as economically untenable for local radio, warning stations could cut community coverage or payroll, and the measure remains pending in the Senate.