A New Website For Anti-Performance Tax Proponents…

(Weekend Edition)

Greater Media has joined the battle against the Performance Rights Act, setting up a new website for those opposed to the bill that would require terrestrial stations to pay a fee for the music they play.  Listeners and advertisers are encouraged to log on and be counted and to learn more about the proposed legislation.  You can also sign an online petition and find out who your congressional representatives are and where they’re located by zip code.  The website is called Help Save Radio and can be accessed here.  In addition to the website, Greater Media is running on-air spots inviting radio supporters to sign the petition opposing the Performance Rights Act on local radio (H.R. 848 and S. 379), which will be distributed to members of Congress…

Commonwealth Broadcasting President/CEO Steve Newberry who also serves as Chairman of the NAB Joint Board wrote an op-ed piece this week warning terrestrial radio that “While certainly a significant achievement, our work (in opposition to the Performance Tax) is by no means done.  The record-label proponents of a performance tax are not backing down.  If anything, our success has made the record labels even more aggressive.  Recently, we saw RIAA’s musicFIRST Coalition file a complaint with the FCC alleging that unnamed radio stations were refusing to play the music of unidentified musicians supporting the RIAA-sought fees.  While underscoring the undeniable promotional value of free radio airplay, the maneuver was also indicative of just how far the record labels will push their case in Washington”…

It appears to me at this point in the Performance Rights Act battle that there’s little or no public groundswell for either side.  Radio seems to be more united in it’s fight against the tax than proponents are.  The politicos have made a political football of the tax while the record companies look greedy with their self-interest starting to show, especially if it’s true that they’ll be receiving the performance tax fees before doling them out to recording artists…       

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1910] Dad’s day: Father’s Day is disputably celebrated for the first time in Spokane (WA) (6/19).  We’ll take the New York Times word for it…
2. 1934] Beware the FCC: Congress establishes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The original duties of the FCC were to: “regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest.” Regulating the airwaves came later (6/19)…
3. 1947] Bugsy swatted: Benjamin“Bugsy” Siegel is rubbed out, gangland style in Beverly Hills (CA) apparently over soaring costs on his pet project — the Flamingo Resort in Las Vegas (6/20)…
4. 1948] Debuted on this date: “The Toast Of The Town“, soon to be known as “The Ed Sullivan Show” debuts on CBS-TV (6/20)…1975] “Jaws” premieres and becomes the big summer blockbuster (6/20). Most of the exteriors are shot on Martha’s Vineyard where the water was still cold…1985] The summer sleeper is “Cocoon” starring husband and wife team, Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy and let’s not forget Don Ameche (6/21)…
5. 1952] Talkin’ baseball: Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine pitches a 5-0 no-hitter against the Cubs at Ebbets Field (6/19).  Here’s Carl on his harmonica…1977] Carl Yastrzemski hits a 460-foot home run at Fenway Park that strikes the facade to the right of the retired numbers and is the only home run to reach Fenway’s right field roof facade (6/19)…1979] The reign of ‘Billy Martin II’ begins in a cycle of 5 trips back as Yankee manager (6/19)…
6. 1953] On the hot seat: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed by electric chair at Sing Sing on charges of conspiring to pass U.S. atomic secrets to Russia, although their sons have been fighting to free their names for years (6/19)…
7. 1963] Hotline 5-5300: The U.S. and Soviet Union sign an agreement to set up a hotline between the two superpowers (6/20)…
8. 1964] Oh no: Future Hall of Fame pitcher and U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Jim Bunning, pitches a perfect game against the Mets at Shea Stadium on Father’s Day (6/21). His catcher Gus Triandos becomes the first catcher to catch no-hitters in both leagues, having done it previously in the 50s when he caught Hoyt Wilhelm’s no-hitter…
9. 1986] Celtic tragedy: University of Maryland basketball star, Len Bias, Boston’s 1st pick (and 2nd overall) in the NBA Draft, suffers a fatal cocaine - induced seizure (6/19)…
10. 2001] ‘Happy Trails’: Carroll O’Connor dies from a heart attack brought about by diabetes at 76 (6/21)…2001] Legendary blues singer John Lee Hooker, believed to be 83, dies from natural causes at his home in Los Altos (CA) (6/21)…

       




Music Memories:

• 1965] Number One on this date: “Mr. Tambourine” - Byrds.  Bob Dylan, who wrote the song, makes a cameo in this clip (6/20)… 
• 1966] “Paperback Writer“ - Beatles (6/19)…1975] “Love Will Keep Us Together” - Captain & Tennille (6/21)…1977] “Got To Give It Up (Part 1)” - Marvin Gaye (6/20)…
• 1969] Released on this date: “In The Year 2525” - Zager & Evans (6/21)…1975] “How Sweet It Is” - James Taylor (6/21)…
• 1971] Signed, Sealed & Delivered: Don Kirshner(Monkees, Archies, TV shows, etc.) signs a group called Tomorrow. The group featured a singer by the name of Olivia Newton-John (6/19)…1980] David Geffen’s first signing on his new Geffen label is Donna Summer (6/19). The signing is too late as almost all of her hits were on Casablanca, her prior label…

Commentary:

While many scribes (my hand is raised on that one) thought that Julius Genachowski was in for a grilling by the Senate Commerce Committee, his hearing was more Larry King than Chris Matthews.  Genachowski and FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, sailed by the committee’s questioning and have won approval for their positions - Genachowski for chair, McDowell for agency renomination.  Next — the full Senate must approve both.  They should both sail through…The 19th annual North Shore Medical Center Cancer WALK will cover 10K (6.2 miles) and wind its way through Salem (MA) this Sunday, June 21st.  The annual event has already contributed more than $14 million to the NSMC Cancer Center and this year’s funds will directly benefit the expansion and relocation of the Cancer Center to the Mass General/North Shore Center For Outpatient Care in Danvers.  Former WRKO mainstay, Paul Power will be walking on behalf of his late mother Ruth Power.  For more on the WALK, email: cancerwalk@partners.org or call 1-866-296-6900…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (6/19) Paula Abdul (47), Kathleen Turner (55), Ann Wilson (59), Phylicia Rashad (61), Salman Rushdie (62), Elaine“Spanky” McFarlane (67), Tommy Devito(73) and Gena Rowlands (79)…(6/20) Nicole Kidman (42), John Goodman (57), Lionel Richie (60), Bob Vila (63), Anne Murray (64), Brian Wilson (67), Danny Aiello (76), Martin Landau (78),Olympia Dukakis(78) and James P. Brady (86)…(6/21) Prince William of Britain (27), Meredith Baxter (62), Michael Gross (62), Brenda Holloway (63), Ray Davies (65), Bernie Kopell(76) and Jane Russell (88)…











Timeline Countdown: Summer arrives Sunday, Father’s Day and 14 days until July 4th…

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