By Andrew Ramonas, From Corporate Counsel

The Grammy Awards handed out gold to Sam Smith, Beyoncé and … IP law? The organization behind the Grammys put its concern about U.S. intellectual property law in the spotlight Sunday, using the telecast of its annual music awards ceremony in Los Angeles to unveil a copyright reform campaign.

Neil Portnow, president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), which hosts the Grammys, said during the show that his organization started the Creators Alliance to help ensure “new technology and distribution will pay [singers, songwriters and producers] fairly.” Joined on stage by singer Jennifer Hudson and OneRepublic front man Ryan Tedder, Portnow said Congress should make copyright system updates that ensure royalty rates “strongly protect” musicians.

“Thanks to the artists who have joined our Creators Alliance, to our academy members who lend their voices and to the fans,” Portnow said. “Together, we can make our musical future as vibrant as we all want it to be.”

The House Judiciary Committee in the last Congress held several hearings to study potential ways to update copyright law for the digital age. Portnow last year told members of the panel that he supports a comprehensive music copyright reform bill that would help songwriters get fair market value for their music, and require Sirius XM, Pandora and other online radio companies to pay federal performance royalty fees for songs recorded before 1972.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said last month his agenda for the panel includes working with content producers, technology companies and others to “find consensus on the areas of the Copyright Act that need improvement.”

Tedder on Sunday called on musicians and their fans to join NARAS’s push for copyright reform.

“From the Turtles to Taylor Swift, longtime established and new generations are speaking out,” he said. “With all the changes in how we listen to music and the review of copyright laws which are set by Congress, music creators and fans must speak out now.”

IMAGE:Jennifer Hudson at the 83rd Academy Awards. February 27, 2011.

Photo: David Torcivia via Wikimedia Commons

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