Lobbyists Looking to Mandate FM Radios in Cell Phones
A number of lobbying organizations and cell phone handset makers appear to be set on a collision course with U.S. lawmakers. The National Association of Broadcasters (radio lobbyists) and musicFIRST (artist and label lobbyists) are attempting to negotiate a compromise on the Performance Rights Act, which is currently stalled in Congress. One reason the act has stalled is because the music industry wants the radio industry to pay hundreds of millions of dollars per year for the right to play music on the air. Radio stations are currently exempt from forced payment to labels and artists. The compromise currently being considered would have the radio stations pay only $100 million to the recording industry -- but would also require that all cellular phones include built-in FM radio receivers. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) strongly opposes this idea. Gary Shapiro, head of the CEA, called the idea, "The height of absurdity. Rather than adapt to the digital marketplace, NAB and RIAA act like buggy-whip industries that refuse to innovate and seek to impose penalties on those that do." Speaking to Ars Technica, another CEA spokesperson said of the idea, "Mandates that force backward-looking features and functions into cutting-edge hand-held devices" will be fought so they don't become law. Shapiro said the CEA would look after the interests if its 2,000+ members, which includes cell phone manufacturers. The NAB and RIAA have not announced a formal compromise, nor has the Performance Rights Act been modified at this time.
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