New York

FOR years, the music industry's lobbying efforts have been hampered by factionalism, as different sides of the business competed to influence lawmakers. Now, with copyright and royalties issues taking centre stage in the music world, the organisation behind the Grammy Awards wants to unite the industry's voice in Washington.

The organisation, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, is creating a political action committee (PAC), the Grammy Fund for Music Creators, that will raise money from its thousands of members - among them performers, songwriters and producers - and funnel it to congressional candidates deemed sympathetic to their causes.