B'casters want to hear how labels treat artists

October 05, 2007 Broadcasters are hoping to open up the old wounds that divide the record industry from the artists as they asked a powerful lawmaker to conduct hearings on the issue. On Thursday, the National Association of Broadcasters asked Rep. Howard Berman, R-Calif., to conduct a hearing on label treatment of artists as part of the lawmaker's examination of a new royalty for recordings played over the air. "A hearing that includes the RIAA and the four major record labels would allow members of the subcommittee to explore more thoroughly the typical business practices of the recording industry and the dynamics of the relationships between the performers and the record labels," NAB president and CEO David Rehr said.

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