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Copyright Holders to Radio: Don't Be a Scrooge

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The season of 24-hour holiday music is upon us, but it's not all jingle bells and Rudolph for a music copyright coalition, which is demanding that radio stations hand over adequate royalty rates.

“In the spirit of the holidays, we're asking that the radio industry not be a Scrooge," Jennifer Bendall, executive director of musicFIRST, said in a statement. “Join us in closing the loophole in copyright law and ensuring that fair competition is provided to the artists and musicians who bring music to life and listeners' ears to the radio dials."

Internet broadcasters have long paid royalty rates to stream music on their Web sites, but traditional radio stations have not had to pay because, they argue, exposure on their radio stations leads to increased record sales and profits for artists.

MusicFIRST, a coalition of music and recording foundations, wants to change that.

The group slammed radio stations for taking in $16 billion a year in advertising revenue without sharing a cut with the artists that produce their content.

“There are over 100 versions of 'Merry Christmas, Baby,' and although each artists' version is unique, they all have one thing in common: when their performance is played on AM and FM radio, the artist is not compensated," according to musicFIRST. “And they are not alone terrestrial radio doesn't pay any artists or musician when their music is played over the air, not a single penny, not for a single song."

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