Divisions of Univision have entered into a consent decree with the FCC's Enforcement Bureau and, separately, copped a plea to mail fraud in federal court in Los Angeles -- thereby wrapping up, at least for now and at least for these parties -- a payola investigation which has focused on Spanish-language radio.… Continue Reading
Last week, I delivered to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter urging her to look into the impact on minority broadcasters of the Performance Rights Act (PRA) pending before Congress.… Continue Reading
"It's like throwing a surprise party for a friend, and at the end of the night your friend charges you for an appearance fee" -- That's how Spanish Broadcasting System VP/GM Frank Flores described the push by record labels to impose a performance fee on radio stations.… Continue Reading
I think broadcasters have let the record companies put them on the defensive by establishing a one-sided framework for the public discussion of the performance royalty issue. Maybe it's time to change that framework.… Continue Reading
If you thought that the departure of Elliott Spitzer from the public scene might have put out the FCC’s fire for enforcement of the payola rules, think again. That fire is still blazing. In recent days the Enforcement Bureau has sent out letters of inquiry to a number of Spanish-language radio stations demanding responses concerning allegations of … Continue Reading
