The NAB is using Valentine’s Day to call attention to the case it’s trying to make against performance royalties for broadcasters with an ad in Capitol Hill publications Roll Call, The Hill, and Politico highlighting the “love affair” between radio and the recording industry — as illustrated by quotes from label executives and recording artists.

The ad features a man and woman, both wearing headphones and kissing a radio. Under the headline “Love Affair,” the ad reads, “In honor of Valentine’s Day, we recognize the love affair between the recording industry and free, local radio.”

Beneath that are quotes from, among others, artist Alicia Keys, who at the recent Grammys thanked “every DJ, every radio guy, every promotions guy” as she accepted her award; RCA EVP/Promotion Richard Palmese, saying, “I’m a big, big fan of radio”; and MCA Records SVP Mark Wright, saying, “If a song’s not on the radio, it’ll never sell.”

The ad ends with the tag line “Preserve local radio. Fight the performance tax.” See it here (PDF link).

Tags: copyright, Performance, radio, rights, royalties, royalty