The National Association of Broadcasters, in their latest attempt to prevent having to paying a performance fee to artists, has run an ad highlighting the "love affair" between the Radio and Music industry.
And it does nothing, but just look creepy.
The ad, which was run today in the Capitol Hill publications Roll Call, The Hill, and Politico, uses quotes from various folks in the industry highlighting how radio helped them promote music.
One of the quotes the NAB highlights comes from Alicia Keys at her recent Grammy Awards acceptance speech, where she thanked "every radio guy" for contributing to her success.
But what the NAB notably doesn't highlight is Recording Academy president Neil Portnow's speech at the Grammys, where he vowed to "fight to pass legislation to once and for all ensure that, just like in every other developed country in the world, all music creators are compensated for their performances when played on traditional radio."
"Just as we support our own songwriters, we congratulate our fellow writers in the film and television world for winning fair compensation for their unique and creative contributions," Portnow said at the Grammys, in reference to tentative deal between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood studios.
Forgetting about the soapboxing at the Grammys, back to this ad - it just gives me the chills.
If the NAB is hoping to portray terrestrial radio as outdated and irrelevant, they successfully did so with that picture. The orange abomination of a radio they used - which has the sex appeal of a spaceheater - combined with the awkward look of those characters kissing that thing... it just doesn't help their cause.
View the full ad after the jump... (not recommended)
Come on. This is a joke, right? What IS that thing? It looks like a cross between a hair dryer and a Speak-and-Spell.
tex how old are you to remember speak-and-spell?
reminds me of a hair dryer and an 8-Track tapeplayer after an head on collision
The guy is faking it ....
The ad would be better if they were naked and spooning that mis-shapen shower radio! :P
Well, anything dealing with V-day is creepy.
Why are her hands bigger?
Seriously, she's got manhands. And then some.
I think RIAA should take their music 'on strike' from terrestrial until they get paid. Get real, in this day and age, such a move wouldn't hurt them, since it would only spur more iTunesing and purchasing of CDs, and actually force terrestrial radio to do some public service and not run two hour blocks of PSAs at 2am Sunday morning to fulfill their 'commitment' to their community.
A man and a woman kissing a box. Is that it?
Usually a man and a woman "kissing a box" makes for interesting viewing... No more!
The NAB needs to go on "The Moment of Truth" so they'll quit their damn lying. Local radio's coffin is already nailed shut. Cell phone companies always need more tower sites, which will look better than a 100 foot tower for a radio station no one cares about.
Besides, their core audience (soccer moms with bunts and too-tight jeans) have XM and Sirius now, too.
Actually they are both men. The He-she is in mid-transgender. She WAS David Rehr four months ago.
lol. this is truly a terrible ad. what a bunch of idiots.
So people can't discover new music on Satellite Radio? News to me. Tell me how do people know who the Killers, and all the other new alternative bands are if they live in the philly area? There is no alternative station hear that plays anything newer than Adam Ant.
Noone has mentioned the added creepiness of the mustache that the lady has.