[Fmpro] DIRECT

[Mark Northam]

A sad commentary on the state of affairs at the PROs.

Indeed, as evidenced by the ASCAP Board's decision to create language to
virtually eliminate independent Board candidates and the Board's most recent
brave decision to not release their own attendance records to the
membership, these arrogant people seem far more afraid about protecting
their own jobs and benefits than actually operating a vibrant,
future-looking organization that is in tune with what's going on today in
the industry re: downloads, etc.

They try and try to seem hip, current, and in-touch with pictures of rock
stars, songwriters, etc in their glossy magazines, but one call to Member
Services and a few minutes spent with someone who is clearly unmotivated and
in many cases misinformed gives you a good insight into how they treat their
employees and shatters the rock-star image they try and portray with all
their public positioning. I can't tell you how many times I've received out
and out WRONG information from these folks - but it's not their fault. The
lack of training is appalling, and is indicative of the lack of real concern
for members The stories are endless about non-returned phone calls, etc.  -
no wonder they eliminated the public Q&A at the annual meetings... No need
for the "inconvenient truths" about how some members are treated, how cue
sheet fraud is growing fast, how their Board seems more afraid of losing
their own jobs, and how blatantly discriminatory some of their royalty rules
are against instrumental music to spoil their glitzy million-dollar "I
Create Music" image...  kind of reminds me of a story about an emperor and a
fiddle...

The fact that they're so out of touch is one thing - but the fact that
they're so arrogant about it really makes it much worse.

Best,

Mark Northam


On 11/1/06 7:44 AM, "kirbyko3 at aol.com" <kirbyko3 at aol.com> wrote:

> So if you imagine taking concerns like this one to the DMV....  well,
> I'm afraid that that's how these suggestions would be met at the PRO's
> as well.  They seem to be perpetually understaffed and the people who
> are there have been there forever. Even when you go into their offices
> you can perceive a very subdued (read: dead) energy.  Honestly, I half
> expected to see WANG computers sitting on people's desks: it's THAT
> old-world.

---------------------------------
Mark Northam - Publisher
Film Music Magazine
The Professional Voice of Music for Film & TV
http://www.filmmusicmag.com
1-800-774-3700 x702 / (310) 645-9000 x702