"BMI usually tell venues that they need to pay anyway, just in case someone plays a single covered riff."
Under the law, this is "Prior Restraint" and is illegal. You cannot be compelled to pay a license fee because you *might*--at some fuzzy point in the future--use copyrighted material.
Reminds me of Al Capone's "protection" racket. I agree that prosecution of ASCAP and BMI under the RICO Act seems appropriate.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Schuyler King.
Extortion
Under the law, this is "Prior Restraint" and is illegal. You cannot be compelled to pay a license fee because you *might*--at some fuzzy point in the future--use copyrighted material.
Reminds me of Al Capone's "protection" racket. I agree that prosecution of ASCAP and BMI under the RICO Act seems appropriate.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by Schuyler King.
Submit a story now.