[Fmpro] What's CPA worth?

[Mark Northam]

On 8/13/07 6:53 PM, "Pete" <musical411 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> --- Mark Northam wrote:
>> When composers aren't ready to fight for the value of
> their own music (or even specify a value or relative
> value), why should they expect anyone else to do so?
> 
> 
> What on earth are you talking about? I fought for and
> got a nice upfront fee. Any amount of fighting with
> ASCAP wasn't going to change their usage weight on my
> commercial in the time that it aired.
> 
> So I even went as far as to fight for a piece of your
> money (which apparently you feel you were overpaid,
> but aren't willing to part with). How much more
> "fighting for the value of my music" do you want?
> 
> P e t e
> S u r d o v a l


Sorry, let me clarify.

You say you value your CPA music, but are unwilling to state at what rate
you believe performance royalties should be paid for your CPA music and the
music of others who write CPA music.

Have you actually bought the ASCAP myth that your CPA music performances are
worthless to broadcasters? Do you not see how that can't begin to be true,
even from the point of the broadcasters, as proven by the fact that they
would never accept an ASCAP blanket license unless it included all CPA
performances?

The most basic way to determine the value of a component in a package deal
of any kind is to no longer make it part of the package and see what the
buyer does. If he takes the same deal without the component, then that
proves its lack of worth to the buyer. In the case of the broadcasters,
there's no possible way they would accept a blanket license without 100%
coverage of CPA music. So as removing CPA music from an ASCAP blanket
license clearly would be a dealbreaker and not just a negotiating point  for
the broadcasters, that would tend to indicate that CPA performances are FAR
from worthless from the point of the broadcasters.

So which is it? If you think those music performances are of value, then
what value? How many cents on the dollar for a one minute CPA cue compared
to a one minute song cue within a program, since that's the ASCAP formula
mechanism?

If you actually believe that over 50% of the music performances on
television have little or no value, then say so and believe me, that will be
the end of this conversation.

But you seem to be waffling around a bit here - one the one hand claiming
your CPA performances have value, on the other hand being unwilling to state
what you believe the value of a CPA performance is. I'm just looking for
some clarification on this - I believe this is a very healthy debate we're
having, actually.

Best,

Mark Northam