[Fmpro] ASCAP - AMAZING SCAMMING COLLECTION AGENCY PROCEDURES

[Mark Northam]

On 11/30/06 7:59 AM, "Fernando Rivas" <rivas2750 at comcast.net> wrote:

> I've never gotten a single penny for the United States showing of that
> episode, whenever it aired. I wouldn't have even known about it if I hadn't
> seen it. When I contacted ASCAP I was told I would need to obtain the
> episode number in order to track down what happened or I can start an
> inquiry which would take three years.  I was told I can't contact SOCAN
> directly to find out more about the episode which obviously reran in Canada
> and was accurately reported and when I asked how much money (ballpark
> figure) we're talking about for US royalties on something like this the rep
> on the phone had no clue and said no one else at ASCAP would know either.

Classic ASCAP member services ineptness. Of course they know what they pay -
they have the feature performance figures readily at hand if you get the
right person. Sadly, their training appears to be so poor that many times
the member services rep you get has no clue. Last one I talked to told me
emphatically that ASCAP takes no fees from incoming foreign royalties, which
is absolutely false. The fact ASCAP doesn't train these people very well is
a direct indication of what the ASCAP Board of Directors and staff believes
the "members" deserve. Of course, if you're a big-shot, you have your
special designated ASCAP staff person who knows the answers. Everybody else
gets the poorly trained reps. But I suppose it's a predictable strategy:
confound and frustrate the "normal" (aka not big-name) member enough with
idiots on the other end of the phone who don't know basic facts about
performing rights and eventually the member will "go away" and stop asking
questions.

Amazing arrogance.

> I also asked for ballpark figures on a show, primetime Disney Channel, I'm
> currently scoring, and was told it was impossible to figure it out.

Again, wrong. They have the figures, at least for the last quarter they
paid. They can check the current feature performance rate for any
network/channel, multiply by .20 and that's your per-minute score music
rate. 

> So I
> guess that's like saying - we'll pay you when we pay you - and that's IF we
> frigging pay you.

Yup, the ASCAP motto. Somehow, these jerks seem to think it's THEIR money to
distribute, rather than OUR MONEY, the result of our creative work. That
basic disconnect has created the arrogant, out-of-control organization that
ASCAP has sadly grown in to - an organization more interested in hiding
their own activities and continuing the prejudicial, discriminatory ways of
the past when it comes to royalty rates rather than operating in a fair,
transparent, and even-handed manner.

Best,

Mark Northam



---------------------------------
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