[Fmpro] Copyright & pay

[Mark Northam]

On 12/5/07 9:01 PM, "Pete" <musical411 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> --- Mark Northam wrote:
>> The same could be said for what the broadcasters do
> 
> Comparing Jamie
> (I-don't-give-a-buck-how-the-stupid-fitch-spells-her-name)

Now, now... She's not the one diverting millions of dollars from composers
:-)

> Thomas to broadcasters is ridiculous. Unless a
> writer/publisher are foolish enough to give music away
> (and there are some), writers/publishers get
> compensated for the use of their music by broadcasters
> via the PRO and/or the advertiser or production
> company.

We're discussing PRO royalties here, and your statement is only true if the
PRO tracks the music. No tracking, no royalty payment, and the writer and
publisher make no more than if Jammie Thomas had "performed" the music,
downloaded it, or whatever. They're both "free music" usages from the
perspective of the writer and publisher who are paid zero in both instances
unless the music is tracked and paid by the PRO.

Free.
Zero compensation.
Nothing.
Nada.
Millions made by advertisers and broadcasters, nothing to the writer or
publisher. Just ask John Beal who scored "The Matrix" trailer and said he
was paid zero by ASCAP because ASCAP said it never came up in the "survey."

Those are harsh realities, I know, but it's true. That is exactly the cost
of a distribution system that deliberately withholds technology like digital
watermarking that could increase the tracking and payment rate for music in
commercials.

> and/or the advertiser or production
> company.

Please tell me you're not saying that if the sync license for the commercial
pays well, that somehow excuses the PRO from tracking and paying all the
performances of that commercial....? That's apples and oranges. If you start
to buy into that mindset, then songs in TV shows should be tracked and paid
less since the sync fees are higher than what's paid for the score music.
Instead, a  minute of song within a show is paid 500% of what a minute of
score music within a show is paid, as we've discussed here many times
before.

MN

---------------------------------
Mark Northam, CEO
Global Media Development Group

http://www.DemoCheck.com - Get Your Music Heard By The Pros

1-800-774-3700 ext. 702 / 310-645-9000 ext. 702
http://www.gmdgroup.com
Yahoo/Skype: marknortham  /  AIM: mnortham