[Fmpro] ASCAP and Technology

[Les Hurdle]

Hi Scott,

Who said so?

Please don't go PC on us, step up and be a hero ;-)

Far too much hiding by staff whome we pay........ 
don't be scared now !

Les

--- scott at szabosoundandmusic.com wrote:

> I have been told by ASCAP that (Spring 2006 when I
> was told) they consider digital downloads as
> mechanical, not a performance.
> 
> >----- ------- Original Message ------- -----
> >From: Les Hurdle <leshurdle101 at yahoo.com>
> >To: fmpro at nxport.com
> >Sent: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 -0800 (PST) 09:04:24
> >
> >With respect.
> >
> >I think ASCAP and all the other PRO's have done a
> >fantasic job of keeping everyone's eye OFF the
> >ball.
> >
> >They know what tracking etc will achieve, they know
> >
> >what accuracy will mean, THEY ALSO KNOW THE CLOCK
> >IS
> >RUNNING.
> >
> >In the 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 world the mechanical right
> >will
> >rule.......  why is everyone going on about
> >tracking
> >and weighting formulae etc when in a heartbeat it
> >may
> >well be all over???
> >t
> >Mechanicals are all 1-1.. aren' they?
> >
> >Going back to Bellis........  I remember arguing
> >with
> >him over 'geting the money up front'... and giving
> >up
> >the mech right [especuially re WFH].... wonder what
> >he
> >will say now given the only right in the future
> >[maybe] is the mech right?
> >
> >Check out   www.viidoo.com   does it work on Macs?
> >
> >Les
> >
> >
> >
> >--- Fernando Rivas <rivas2750 at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Well put, Mark. Along with fear of the new
> >> technologies there is also a lack
> >> of understanding about what can be achieved with
> >> them.  As usual stupidity
> >> errs on the side of greed.
> >> 
> >> FR
> >> 
> >> 
> >> On 2/18/07 3:58 AM, "Mark Northam"
> >> <mark at gmdgroup.com> wrote:
> >> 
> >> > Lots of the board members mouthed their
> >concerns,
> >> etc about technology
> >> > somehow being a threat to performing rights
> >> royalties, and to me that's
> >> > exactly the problem - rather than seeing
> >> technology like watermarking and
> >> > better automated tracking as a benefit, they
> >see
> >> it as a threat, and the
> >> > results are self-evident - PROs who use
> >technology
> >> reluctantly, to benefit
> >> > certain groups only, with it's usage
> >> custom-designed to maintain the status
> >> > quo of who's getting paid what as best they
> >can...
> >> > 
> >> > Hal David's been on the board for a long time -
> >
> >> plenty long enough for him
> >> > to become a leading voice about implementing
> >> watermarking, etc. Have we
> >> > heard word one from him about this? Nope. Did
> >he
> >> answer the FMPRO board
> >> > members questionnaire at the last election?
> >Nope.
> >> Did he answer the Film
> >> > Music Magazine questionnaire at this election?
> >> Nope again. That demonstrates
> >> > the kind of arrogance and contempt that so many
> >in
> >> the board apparently have
> >> > for honest, legitimate questions from members
> >> about their positions on
> >> > important issues. Has Hal volunteered HIS board
> >
> >> attendance records? Nope.
> >> > 
> >> > I'll say it again... The massive amount of
> >unpaid,
> >> untracked musical
> >> > performances is the elephant standing in the
> >> middle of the room at the PROs.
> >> > If they tracked and paid all of these
> >> performances, existing members' checks
> >> > would decrease, something that would not go
> >over
> >> well with many members.
> >> > 
> >> > What we're seeing is the strategic non-use of
> >> technology in order to
> >> > maintain the wealth levels of certain groups of
> >
> >> members. It's a system
> >> > that's rotten from the head on down, and only a
> >
> >> major influx of new board
> >> > members who are committed to something more
> >than
> >> maintaining their own
> >> > personal royalty checks and board positions is
> >> going to get us closer to
> >> > fairness and accuracy in PRO royalty payments.
> >> > 
> >> > Simply put, it's time for a regime change at
> >> ASCAP. The arrogant,
> >> > "party-line" position of the ASCAP Board must
> >give
> >> way to individual
> >> > accountability and independent, thoughtful
> >> dialogue with all interested
> >> > members, not just those invited to the "high
> >> earner's meeting"and the like.
> >> > 
> >> > No more unlimited board terms for "career
> >> politician" board members at ASCAP
> >> > who are so afraid of members discovering the
> >truth
> >> that they hide their own
> >> > attendance records.
> >> > 
> >> > And let's end the "President for Life"
> >designation
> >> of the ASCAP President
> >> > and give it a finite term, like 8 years. If
> >it's
> >> good enough for the
> >> > President of the United States, it's good
> >enough
> >> for the ASCAP President.
> >> > 
> >> > It's time for some new blood, new ideas, and
> >new
> >> leaders who embrace the new
> >> > business models of the music business rather
> >than
> >> fearing those new business
> >> > models and the people who would seek to reform
> >> ASCAP. Technology is not a
> >> > threat, it's a tool. The real question we
> >should
> >> be asking all ASCAP Board
> >> > members is: are you willing to use that tool in
> >a
> >> fair and evenhanded way to
> >> > level the playing field and benefit all
> >members,
> >> not just those favored by
> >> > the old system?
> >> > 
> >> > Best,
> >> > 
> >> > Mark Northam
> >> > 
> >> >> Also, Hal David states, "In this technological
> >
> >> age it
> >> >> is important that we establish supremacy in
> >> tracking
> >> >> our performances and licensing our works." I'm
> >
> >> not
> >> >> sure if he means TV too. But, performance
> >> tracking is
> >> >> my number one issue, so I might add him to my
> >> vote.
> >> >> Thoughts?
> >> > 
> >> > ---------------------------------
> >> > Mark Northam - Publisher
> >> > Film Music Magazine / Film Music Weekly
> >> > The Professional Voice of Music for Film & TV
> >> > http://www.filmmusicmag.com
> >> > Yahoo/Skype: marknortham  /  AIM: mnortham
> >> > 
> >> > 
> >> > 
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >
> 
=== message truncated ===



 
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