Surprise! Congress Helps the Britney Bailout Move Ahead

Shows you what I know. In March, I predicted that something called “The Performance Rights Act,” which would require radio stations to pay musicians–or at least, music labels–whenever they play one of their recordings, would never get through Congress.

Not because the notion is necessarily a terrible idea, mind you. But because musicians and music labels seemed unlikely to be beneficiaries of Washington aid.

Today, however, the music business got one step closer to getting the bill passed: The House Judiciary Committee approved the legislation in a 21-9 vote. There’s a long way to go: If I remember my Schoolhouse Rock correctly, the bill has to get through a Senate committee, then the full House, the full Senate and then President Barack Obama’s desk before it becomes law.
more at http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090513/surpise-congress-helps-the-britney-bailout-move-ahead/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_buzz