NAB's Arguments to Congress and the FCC Contradict Each Other, Says MusicFIRST

NAB’s filings before the FCC seeking relaxed ownership restrictions contradict the group’s arguments to Congress opposing the American Music Fairness Act’s proposed performance royalty, said the musicFIRST Coalition in an ex parte filing posted Thursday in docket 18-349. “If radio broadcasters have lost so much audience share that they need government intervention, the promotional value they claim to provide recording artists cannot be adequate compensation” for performers, said the coalition. NAB also argued broadcasters should be compensated for their content in support of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, the coalition noted. “The musicFIRST Coalition agrees with the NAB that distributors should adequately compensate content providers. But what is good for the goose must be good for the gander.” The FCC “should not rely on a party’s arguments when that party contemporaneously makes contrary arguments to other federal policy makers,” the coalition said. NAB didn't comment.