Texas Association of Broadcasters

02/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/03/2025 14:14

TAB Renews Push to Prevent Performance Tax on Radio Stations

posted on 2.03.2025

- Congressional Supporters Sustain Local Radio Freedom Act

Key members of Congress are renewing their opposition to a Performance Tax on local Radio stations with their reintroduction of the Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA). The measure opposes record labels' attempts to force stations to pay yet another royalty on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars the industry already collectively pays to musical artists.

Representatives Steve Womack, R-Ark., and Kathy Castor, D-Fla., are once again leading the charge and TAB is working with Texans in the House to renew their support.

For the past several years during this effort, Texas has led the country in the number of LRFA co-sponsors.

Of the lawmakers returning to Congress in 2025, 23 Texans serving in the House are eligible to renew their co-sponsorship.

VIEW LIST HERE.

Radio broadcasters in these lawmakers' districts are encouraged to ask them to renew their support to ensure local Radio stations can continue to serve their communities effectively without having to struggle under another onerous cost imposed upon them by the federal government.

Communities throughout the country rely on the news, music, sports, emergency information, disaster recovery leadership and year-round public service that local Radio stations provide free of charge as mandated by Congress and are subject to costly and extensive regulations that paid music subscription platforms are not.

Further government-mandated burdens such as a Performance Tax would cause massive job losses, force many music stations to flip to talk formats - reducing airplay for performing artists - and possibly drive some stations to go dark, while the revenue generated would primarily benefit overseas record labels.

Questions? Contact Oscar Rodriguez or call (512) 322-9944.