[Fmpro] DW & Information

[leshurdle]

On Aug 1, 2007, at 8:28 AM, Doug Wood wrote:

> Other questions: I can't possibly answer all the machine-gun questions
> thrown at me from this list.


Hi Doug,

I believe the real fact of the matter is you should not need be  
required to answer any questions at all about the day to day  
functions at ASCAP.

Take a peek at the recent 'Conte' effort to obtain information, basic  
stuff.
While the lady did not want to come to terms with the fact all she  
was asking and the methods she wanted employed had been dealt with  
many times............ she went ahead.

She was rejected by ASCAP just the same as everyone else who dares to  
inquire.

Were Member services to have more than a couple of people who  
actually knew the business they were in,  were MS to answer quickly  
etc.......... you DW would be out of the loop.
You're a Board member, please ask them why the service is so lax?
Then tell us what the reply is.

Here's the bottom line DW.

ASCAP does not account to its members, period.

Questions have been asked about overseas income.......... the kind of  
money which seldom, if ever goes through ASCAP if it is the  
Publishers share, you know this...........  the mere fact ASCAP [and  
all of the other PRO's & Publishers] REFUSE to provide accurate  
statements leaves not only much to be desired but a definite feeling  
of 'corruptness'.

If the oft trotted out excuse is 'we don't know what the 'foreigns'  
do'.... then it is high time ASCAP did know......... or would that  
mean accuracy at many levels, especially where the Broadcast  
Mechanical is concerned, and loss of many hundreds of thousands of  
dollars per nnum to the Publishers, but of-course a nice income for  
writers?

What we have is a system which is so corrupt on a global scale for  
any one person to expect a reasonable standard of accounting one must  
simply breathe very thin air.

However, DW, why not make a start.

While I do think Q's about o/s income are very important, and still  
need to be answered, would you care to get ASCAP [which means you] to  
explain in great detail how payments for local usage/income is made;

Here's 3 points for openers.

1	Why are Publishers and writers paid from different income/ 
distribution streams and times?
3	Why is money moved from Local TV income to Network distribution?
3	Why is there no gross amount at source column for 'local' usage/ 
payment/distribution?

Let's have all the facts from negotiation to distribution.
Numbers not myth.

Without such data, as Hutchinson said when he was PRS CEO..........  
it's all smoke n mirrors in the USA.... and DW, I seriously doubt you  
can defend any of it.........  let us not forget the problem is with  
all 3 US PRO's.

BTW.......... PRS has been proven to be even worse !!


Les

CLAIMER...........  I do not want ASCAP 'gone'.  I want some new  
Board members, new Execs [or at least have the CEO introduce 1-1 like  
he said he wanted to], I want accuracy, transparency and an end to  
the lies.

I must be dreaming up here in the mountains ;-)

But hey.......... just wait until the world is all downloads, what we  
experience now will be kids stuff compared to the con just waiting  
around the corner.