---
title: "American Music Fairness Act Is a Step in the Right Direction for Creating a Level Playing Field in US Copywrite Law, Says ITIF"
date: "2022-02-02"
content_type: "Press Releases"
canonical_url: "https://itif.org/publications/2022/02/02/american-music-fairness-act-step-right-direction-creating-level-playing/"
---

# American Music Fairness Act Is a Step in the Right Direction for Creating a Level Playing Field in US Copywrite Law, Says ITIF

WASHINGTON—In response to the House Judiciary hearing today on the [American Music Fairness Act](https://judiciary.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=4835), the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from Jaci McDole, senior policy analyst at ITIF:

*For too long, there has been a significant loophole in the U.S. copyright system that allows terrestrial radio broadcasters to avoid fairly compensating musicians for playing their songs.*

*The American Music Fairness Act would modernize U.S. copyright law by creating a level playing field—Internet radio, satellite radio, and AM/FM radio would all have to pay artists music performance royalties.*

*Moreover, it would bring revenue to the United States, as foreign countries would no longer be able to avoid compensating American artists when their songs are broadcast overseas.*

*ITIF has long called for updating U.S. copyright law to create parity between different technologies, and we look forward to working with Congress as it moves forward with the AMFA.*

For more on this issue, please see:

- Daniel Castro, “[Internet Radio and Copyright Royalties: Reforming a Broken System](/publications/2007/05/10/internet-radio-and-copyright-royalties-reforming-broken-system)” (ITIF, 2007).

---
*Source: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)*
*URL: https://itif.org/publications/2022/02/02/american-music-fairness-act-step-right-direction-creating-level-playing/*