As If Performance Royalty Threat Wasn't Enough, ASCAP, BMI Want To Increase Radio Royalties
from the squeeze-squeeze-squeeze dept
While the RIAA keeps pushing and pushing for a performance tax for radio stations, it looks like ASCAP and BMI on the songwriter/composer side are apparently now looking to increase their existing tax on stations (via Michael Scott). As you probably know, right now, stations do pay royalties to ASCAP and BMI for the "performance right" on music they play on the radio, which gets distributed to the composers and songwriters. But performers don't get a royalty, as Congress recognized (correctly) that radio was free advertising for musicians. So, the first battle is about adding another tax, but this newer battle would be about increasing the existing one.Again, this shouldn't be a surprise. As we've been detailing lately, ASCAP, BMI and other similar groups around the world have gone on something of a rampage lately, trying to get larger and larger fees from just about any use of music -- including ringtones, the 30-second previews on iTunes, and YouTube videos embedded in blogs (despite the fact that YouTube already pays a fee). Sucks to be a terrestrial radio station these days. Not only do you have a ton of new competition from other sources, but the rest of the industry is looking to tax you until you're gone.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: copyright, radio, royalties
Companies: ascap, bmi
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
1 word
[ link to this | view in thread ]
1 word
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 1 word
[ link to this | view in thread ]
1word
(holy crap, as i totally fail at commenting today)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
I don't feel for them at all.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10052221-93.html
[ link to this | view in thread ]
If it wasn't for revenue...
It strikes me as odd the music industry isn't paying radio to air their goods. After all, it's an advertising platform, so when did this model get backward?
Unfortunately, the teenagers out there will still want their idols who can't think, and without them, it's hard for a station to make change.
Music's success shouldn't be based on what label the artist is contracted with.
Here's hoping radio station owners help with "piracy" by playing music freely available, by the artist, online.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: If it wasn't for revenue...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: If it wasn't for revenue...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
irrelevant
[ link to this | view in thread ]
More NEWS!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: More NEWS!
I believe you're confusing news with common knowledge...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
payola
That is how it works isn't it?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
------
No not 4. 4 posts, 11 words ;)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
As near as I can tell, they (along with "news" companies) really believe that they have a product that is so compelling that the only possible reason they might see their revenues fall is because somebody somewhere is stealing from them in some way. They don't believe they need anything -- better product, better service, better business plan -- nothing. In short, they got used to having a de facto monopoly and can't conceive of a universe where that isn't the case, where they might need others more than others need them.
They are dinosaurs, the meteor has hit, and their brains can't understand what's happening.
In the end they will go extinct and the newfangled mammals will take over.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Hmmm...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Easy...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: If it wasn't for revenue...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
"looking to increase their existing tax on stations"
There is no tax. The use of the word tax is done to create a negative concept of what the fees are about. They are not a tax. Only the government can collect taxes. Nobody else can create a tax. They create a fee structure, a rate table.
Taxes are NOT optional. Rates are optional - a station can go to an all talk format and not use any music, and not have to pay a fee. However, no matter what the station does, they will have to pay a property tax, etc.
Tax. Sneaky word.
Sort of like this:
http://www.stopthetvtax.ca/
It's not a tax.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Funny
Talk about copyright infringement, with back pays due!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
The gov't created this tax. Copyright Royalty Board. Look it up.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
Very different game.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Let 'em charge what they want.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
If I choose to not work or invest any money, I don't pay income tax.
If I choose to not own land, I don't pay property tax.
If I choose to buy only goods that are tax exempt, I don't pay sales tax.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
ascap bmi perf royalty
What a crock. And musicians buy it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
ASCAP, BMI and SESAC = PIRATES!
[ link to this | view in thread ]