Dear Margaret Moran,

I was upset to read a story on the BBC News website today, that
reported that the PRS is taking the Kwik Fit company to court for
infringing musical copyright by allowing staff to play the radio in
their stores.

I passionately love the medium of radio - it was a childhood dream to
work for the BBC, and now I look after the computer playout systems for
the BBC national networks. 

My philosophy has always been that radio should be used to entertain -
on a mass scale - giving listeners access to music, conversation and
company, adding a unique richness to their daily lives.

A great deal of effort and money goes into achieving the broadcasting
rights to the music that is played for public consumption - anyone who
owns a radio can listen to the music for free. It can be argued that
music radio offers the opportunity for the public to 'audition' new
music, and can have substantial benefits to the sales of the 'music
industry' (a term I have come to despise, having encountered on too
many occasions the unequivocal capitalist approach they take to a
precious, pure art).

So I believe that for the Performing Rights Society to demand further
recompense for allowing members of the public to listen to a freely
available medium is morally repugnant and damaging to the medium of
radio, and would like your support to bring this unscrupulous practice
to an end. 

Thank you for reading - and considering - my letter, and I look forward
to hearing from you with any response you may have.

Yours sincerely,

James Hart