Broadcasters, Civil Rights Groups Appeal To Leahy For Royalties Hearing
WASHINGTON -- May 26, 2009: Broadcasters and civil rights leaders have sent a joint letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) asking him to set a public hearing on the potential consequences of the Performance Rights Act for minority- and female-owned radio broadcasters. Leahy is a sponsor of the Performance Rights Act, the House version of which has already been approved by the House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by PRA sponsor John Conyers (D-MI). Conyers went ahead with a committee vote on the bill despite requests for a hearing from civil rights groups and minority broadcasters.
The letter -- signed by Bustos Media President/CEO Amador Bustos, Spanish Broadcasting System Chief Revenue Officer Frank Flores, Spanish Radio Association Director Frank Montero, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council Exec. Director David Honig, American Women in Radio and Television President Maria Brennan, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Exec. Director Barbara Arnwine, and Rainbow/PUSH Coalition founder/President Rev. Jesse Jackson -- says, "Minority and women-owned radio stations speak directly to our communities and are a cherished resource that must be nurtured and protected. Therefore, we respectfully urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to ensure proper due process by conducting a thoughtful public hearing on the likely consequences this legislation would have on minority and female radio broadcast ownership and service to minority communities before any official committee action is taken on this legislation."
The letter says any hearing must also explore the bill's impact on "fundamental civil rights," noting that the Supreme Court is considering voting-rights cases this term, including a challenge to the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act. Says the letter, "Should the court strike down Section 5 of the Voting Right Act -- the Justice Department’s main enforcement tool against discriminatory changes affecting elections -- the chief remaining resource to ensure that minority communities can participate fully in the democratic process will be the continued engagement of minority radio broadcasters to drive turnout. However, passage of S. 379 would eviscerate this remaining, powerful resource. Minority communities will be ignored by elected officials, advances in civil rights progress will be rolled back, and future gains will be uncertain at best."
The signers offer to work with Leahy to develop a "reasonable hearing that would be of the greatest value to the committee as it examines these far-reaching unintended ramifications of S. 379."
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