[Fmpro] A PRO's perspective on cue sheet fraud

[Geoff Koch]

Mark, 

I once had a meeting with a BMI writer-relations exec regarding this issue.
He acknowledged that BMI was aware of the problem, but denied that there was
much, if anything, that they could do about it.  "We're not the cue sheet
police," he said. 

So this is the PRO mentality that we're fighting: Cue sheet validity is not
their job and they don't want it to be.  If we, composers, were to put
together some sort of proposal as to how we believe BMI should deal with the
situation, I should be able to get an audience with him again.

Geoff Koch 


On 12/1/06 12:14 AM, "Mark Northam" <mark at gmdgroup.com> wrote:
  
> I'll say it again - until the PROs stop tolerating, encouraging, and paying
> known cue sheet fraudsters, the practice will continue and grow as bean
> counters and such at the the production companies look for new ways to raise
> money by taking a share of the writers royalties.
>  
> The PRO's behavior towards cue sheet fraud has legitimized the practice,
> plain and simple. The fact that the ASCAP Board has (according to one board
> member) voted against taking a stand against cue sheet fraud only proves
> they want no piece of ending this abuse and, like the attendance records
> debacle, speaks volumes as to their agenda and priorities. Why do you think
> there's no "dotted line" to sign on PRO cue sheets? It's the ultimate way to
> avoid any legal accountability for the practice of phony writers claiming
> millions of dollars of royalties every year for music they never wrote.
> Until ASCAP and BMI clamp down on the problem, composers are virtually
> powerless to stop it since there are so many composers willing to take any
> deal offered, royalties or not. It is those who operate the system and write
> the checks (and make the rules by which the money is distributed) that have
> the power to stop it, and that comes down to the three US PROs.
>  
> Best, 
>  
> Mark Northam