A 12-foot high pink inflatable pig outside the National Association of Broadcasters’ headquarters brought the music industry’s effort to pass a performance royalty to radio’s doorstep today.  The protest was part of the “Piggie Radio” campaign that positions broadcasters of being “piggish” by refusing to pay a royalty.

“The radio companies are being piggish by refusing to pay musicians for their work while big radio corporations make billions of dollars in profits,” says Radio Accountability Project spokesman Mark Corallo. “The inflatable pig will showcase the most piggish radio broadcasters across America.”

The NAB calls it a “silly frat-boy stunt.”  Spokesman Dennis Wharton says, "It also seems appropriate for RIAA to use an inflatable pig as its mascot, since its foreign-owned members would be the biggest beneficiaries of performance tax pork. RIAA is losing this issue on Capitol Hill and in the court of public opinion, and today's demonstration represents a new low in a campaign of utter desperation."

The NAB fed five protesters outside their headquarters sausage pizza. "We're suggesting they provide this food to the scores of exploited musicians who have had to sue their record label to recoup allegedly unpaid album royalties," Wharton quips.

More in Thursday’s Inside Radio.