[Fmpro] Doug Wood, Answers please

[Mark Northam]

Hi Doug -

Thanks for the note and clarification. And sorry if my frustration with the
ASCAP Board since 2001 seemed to be any sort of personal attack on you - it
wasn't. But I honestly think you underestimate how your (the Board's)
actions are taken by the membership. Stripping away one's right to be on the
ballot in a democratic election is serious stuff, and I must tell you it
really frustrates me to see you avoid discussion of this publicly. No, it's
not going away, and no we're not forgetting about it, and yes, you and the
Board are responsible for fixing it (or not).

May I politely ask you to respond on three points, on the list:

1. Please don't confuse criticism of the Board's highly objectionable
ACTIONS (like destroying any chance of independent candidates getting on the
ballot) with any criticism of them personally, which I don't believe has
happened here. Nobody is personally demonizing the ASCAP Board members, but
plenty of people, including myself, have some very pointed things to say
about their actions. In all your posts over the last week, you haven't
responded to of referred directly to the election situation. Why? Is it not
a big deal to you?

2. Regarding your comment below, I see where my reference to the effective
rate per minute (blanket license divided by number of minutes of music
aired) paid by broadcasters could have been confusing. I should have said
"So the broadcasters are effectively paying x per minute" to be more clear.
But for the sake of clarity, will you confirm that broadcasters pay ASCAP at
the same rate for song music as they do for score music under a blanket
license?

3. Still waiting for your observations re: the travel habits of your friends
on the ASCAP Board. If they're soaking us (the members) for First Class air
travel, don't we - the members - deserve to know that - since we're paying
their bills? I wish you wouldn't just ignore questions like this and hope
they go away. If you don't want to answer, just say so.

Thanks,

Mark Northam


On 7/23/07 6:03 AM, "Doug Wood" <daw at procomposers.org> wrote:

> My post was intended to clear up what I believe was some misleading
> information about how broadcasters pay for music (they don't pay per
> minute),