The uncertainty regarding the rates that commercial radio broadcasters will pay to play music in the repertory of SESAC, Inc. (SESAC) is over. Following extensive negotiations, the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) and SESAC reached a new agreement extending the rates and terms of their existing music license agreement for commercial radio stations. That comes … Continue Reading
Attention, noncommercial educational (NCE, a/k/a “public”) broadcasters! If you have been wondering how much you’ll have to pay to broadcast musical compositions this year (and beyond), wonder no more. The rates for 2018 through 2022 were published in the Federal Register on January 19. For those new to the issue, these rates have been administered … Continue Reading
BMI strategy begins to pay dividends. You may recall our report last August that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) had closed a two-year inquiry into the ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees by determining that no changes to the Decrees were necessary. DOJ also weighed in on a particularly controversial issue – the licensing of … Continue Reading
Siding with music users, DOJ concludes that Decrees call for “full-work” – rather than “fractional” – music licensing; ASCAP and BMI head to court and Congress. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally closed its two-year-long review of the decades-old ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees. Those Decrees mandate federal court oversight of the rates … Continue Reading
Dueling letters from SESAC and RMLC offer distinct alternatives for radio stations in their dealings with SESAC As we reported several months ago, in July the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) reached a settlement agreement with SESAC that resolved RMLC’s antitrust lawsuit against SESAC and brought some measure of certainty and stability to the license … Continue Reading
Props to Bill Velez for striking a good deal for the radio industry! Bill Velez and the gang at the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) have struck again. Having targeted SESAC in an antitrust suit in 2012, they have now used the leverage of that suit to gain a settlement with SESAC that should prove … Continue Reading
This is the story of how Pandora, in an effort to cut its copyright royalty costs, managed to saddle itself with a complex array of ownership reporting requirements designed by the FCC to keep Box Elder, South Dakota safe from aliens. It's a true story.… Continue Reading
In a report on "Copyright and the Music Marketplace", the Copyright Office has set out a wide range of observations and recommendations that could resonate for years in Congress and elsewhere.… Continue Reading
There is cause for optimism with respect to the possibility of bringing SESAC under the same type of judicial control as ASCAP and BMI are subject to.… Continue Reading
Last April the Copyright Royalty Board sought comment on various proposals for NCE royalty rates for 2013-2017, but its notice didn't mention proposed rates for NPR or PBS stations. Now we know why.… Continue Reading
The Radio Music License Committee and BMI have announced a deal regarding the royalty rates and terms to be paid by radio stations through 2016.… Continue Reading
If you're a noncommercial broadcaster, heads up. You've only got 30 days to comment on proposed rates and terms for the use of various copyrighted works by public broadcasters from 2013 through 2017.… Continue Reading
The Radio Music License Committee and ASCAP have announced a deal regarding the royalty rates and terms to be paid by radio stations through 2016… Continue Reading
Another piece of the ongoing ASCAP/BMI ratemaking puzzle has fallen into place - at least for a while: in late June the good folks at the Radio Music License Committee announced a final interim deal with BMI,… Continue Reading
A judge has superseded the interim royalty rates negotiated by ASCAP and the RMLC earlier this year. The result should please broadcasters, at least for the time being.… Continue Reading
Now that we've turned the corner into the New Year, there's even more reason for broadcasters to look into signing up with the Radio Music License Committee..… Continue Reading
Some radio broadcasters might have received letters recently -- from RMLC, ASCAP or BMI -- about negotiations for music licensing arrangements to replace the existing ASCAP/BMI deal which expires at year's end. Let's shed some light on the situation.… Continue Reading
