Google, Amazon, Pandora, NPR Unite To Fight Better Pay For Musicians
A coalition of lobbying groups and large corporations have united to fight efforts to that would raise payments to musicians and creators from broadcast radio and online music services.
The movement to increase payments to creators and revamp antiquated copyright laws has been gathering momentum with new legislation filed, reviews underway by key regulatory bodies and in the courts. So, it was only a matter of time before the companies that would have to pay those higher rates joined together to fight back.
MIC Coalition Launches
Calling themselves "a diverse group of music lovers and users" a coalition of some of the largest corporate consumers and distributors of music have joined together "in order to ensure a thriving future for music."
MIC Coalition (which stands for Music. Innovation. Consumers.) members include Amazon, American Hotel & Lodging Association, Consumer
Electronics Association (CEA), Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Cox Media Group, Digital Media Association (DiMA), Google, iHeartMedia, KLOVE, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR), National Public Radio (NPR), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the National Retail Federation (NRF), Pandora Radio and Salem Media Group
Others are warning creators and fans not to be fooled.
"They can't hide their true agenda behind lofty statements of principle when their actions speak so loud and clear," rebutted the MusicFirst Coalition in a statement. " And they can't beat the people who create music and those who love it in the drive for Fair Play Fair Pay."
Apparently the “thriving future for music” is a “starving future for musicians”.