Inner Banks Media President Henry Hinton says the push to impose new performance royalties on terrestrial broadcasters ignores both radio’s economics and its long-running role in building artists’ careers. After appearing as the lone broadcaster at a US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property hearing on the American Music Fairness Act, Hinton argues the session was stacked with supporters of the bill and did not reflect where Congress actually stands.
Hinton, who represented the NAB at the December 9 hearing, says he felt outnumbered and boxed in by the tone of the proceeding. In his view, AMFA backers are trying to rewrite a relationship that has worked for generations, with artists routinely seeking radio exposure to reach fans and grow audiences.
He also disputes the narrative that broadcasters are refusing to pay their share, arguing that radio already operates inside a complicated licensing environment and that the current system is strained. Hinton contends that adding another mandatory royalty would land hardest on small and mid-sized stations, where budgets are tight and new costs can mean delaying equipment upgrades, cutting staffing, or scaling back community programming.
Hinton contrasts what he describes as a radio downturn with a recording industry enjoying historic gains, and says that imbalance was largely absent from the hearing’s framing. He rejects inflammatory claims made during the session, including comments from star witness Gene Simmons that Hinton views as more spectacle than substance.
Beyond dollars, Hinton stresses what he calls radio’s public service obligation, saying the local, free, over-the-air model becomes essential when disasters hit. He points to hurricane season in his region and recalls Hurricane Matthew in 2016, describing the station as a real-time hub for listeners searching for water and basic necessities. In those moments, he says, local stations are not competing with digital platforms; they are the communications link that still works when other systems fail.
Hinton’s message is that lawmakers should treat broadcast radio as an ally in communities, not a target for new fees that could weaken the very stations people rely on when it matters most.