May 13, 2009

By By Jeffrey Yorke, R&R

In a 21 to 9 vote Wednesday (May 13), the House Judiciary Committee voted to send the Performance Royalties Act to the full House for a vote. After a contentious three-hour hearing in which three amendments to the bill were offered, only one of the amendments -- which reduced the fees to small broadcasters -- was embraced.

In a surprise turn welcomed by broadcasters, rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) reversed her support for H.R. 848. She acknowledged that she has been heavily lobbied by broadcasters as recently as Tuesday night (May 12), receiving phone calls from Salem Christian talk KKLA/Los Angeles, among other stations. She was concerned about the financial impact on broadcasters, in general, and minority broadcasters, in particular. Waters was in favor of one amendment offered by fellow Californian Daniel Lungren (R) that sought to delay voting on the Act by six months while a study on the economic impact of the measure was conducted.

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