Mr. Stephan meets Congressman Nadler, Stuy Alum!

This week, Mr. Harold Stephan met with Congressman Jerrold Nadler on behalf of The Recording Academy. 

 

As soon as Mr. Stephan mentioned that he teaches at Stuyvesant, Congressman Nadler's eyes lit up and he was proud to share that he is a Stuy alumnus. 

 

Mr. Stephan shares some of the issues facing music creators, which were being discussed and included:

 

1. Co-Sponsor The CASE Act (H.R. 2426/S. 1273) Copyright protection is a constitutional right for all creators, including independent artists and songwriters who don’t have the unlimited resources to protect their work against infringement. Federal litigation is expensive and time-consuming, which means many small copyright owners are powerless to stop infringement. In effect, these creators have a right without a remedy. The CASE Act establishes a small claims court for copyright cases as a fair and voluntary alternative to federal litigation. The bipartisan bill has passed both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees without objection and is based on legislative recommendations made by the U.S. Copyright Office in 2013.
2. Tell The NAB That Consent To Broadcast Applies To All Right now, the National Association of Broadcasters is making an important case to Congress: “Content should not be transmitted without approval from the owner.” But the NAB should practice what it preaches. If TV stations should have the right to consent when their content is used by satellite and cable providers, then so should artists when their music is played by AM/FM radio. Big radio, which reaps billions by broadcasting music, is the only industry in America that uses the intellectual property of others without permission or compensation. Congress should give artists and producers control over the music they create by requiring radio broadcasters to obtain their permission before using it. Don’t support consent for broadcasters without supporting consent for artists.
3. Allow DOJ To Complete Its Review Of The ASCAP/BMI Consent Decrees ASCAP and BMI, two of the performing rights organizations (PROs) relied on by songwriters to collect royalties for public performances, are regulated by Department of Justice consent decrees that date back to 1941. These outdated decrees constrain the PROs from securing fair compensation for their songwriters. DOJ is currently reviewing the consent decrees to determine if they are still relevant in the modern music marketplace. DOJ should be allowed to conduct its review without interference from Congress. The Music Modernization Act requires DOJ to consult with Congress before recommending changes to the decrees, so congressional action is unnecessary.