The recently-introduced Performance Rights Act is drawing reaction from industry stakeholders, across independent, technological, and label sectors.  The once-dead measure aims to charge traditional broadcasters for the use of recordings, a longtime exemption for US-based stations.  "The Performance Rights Act brings the United States in line with almost every other nation in the world," industry consortium MusicFIRST stated. 

The "FIRST" in MusicFIRST stands for "Fairness In Music Starting Today," and the group is backed by a list that includes AFTRA, RIAA, SoundExchange, and the Recording Academy.  "Only a few countries do not provide a fair performance right on radio, including Iran, North Korea and China," the group continued, adding an axis-of-evil element into the discussion.

Terrestrial broadcasters are predictably opposed to the measure, especially against the current economic backdrop.  Broadcasters also point to the promotional benefits that radio play offers, and majors gladly offer their content for gratis rotation.

Others used the measure to push the issue of parity across a number of formats.  "If establishing 'parity' is Congress' goal, then the final legislation should be technologically neutral and should thereby ensure that internet radio is no longer disadvantaged compared to other radio platforms," said Jon Potter, executive director of the Digital Media Association (DiMA). 

Who else?  On the independent side, the reaction was no less emphatic.  "As the manufacturing and service industries have moved offshore, the need to support those in the United States who create intellectual property has never been more important to our economy," commented A2IM president Rich Bengloff.