[Fmpro] Warner Music Group Embraces Watermarking, WHY NOT ASCAP?

[Mark Northam]

Amazingly, as the rest of the world realizes the value of watermarking
digital audio files, ASCAP continues to ignore it:

>From Digital Music News today:
Lala will soon deliver watermarked files from Warner Music Group, according
to information disclosed to Digital Music News on Wednesday.  The news
follows a splashy unveiling by the aggressive Palo Alto startup, one that
includes ubiquitous content access and direct-to-iPod transfers of paid
downloads.  During a phone discussion, Lala executive John Kuch outlined the
format specifics, and discussed usage nuances.  Specifically, the Warner
tracks will be watermarked AACs, meaning that personally identifiable
information will be embedded into each file.  The choice of AAC offers
greater fidelity than MP3, among other advantages, though both formats are
compatible with the iPod.   As previously disclosed, the songs from Lala are
specifically designed for direct iPod transfer after purchase, though fans
can also burn the tracks to a CD, according to Kuch.  But those wanting to
download directly to their hard drives will encounter difficulties.


One can only wonder why ASCAP is so afraid of watermarking product - could
it be all those new performances of CPA music that might dilute the fat
cats' checks? Better off to leave those poor third-class composers (at
least, according to ASCAP's weightings for CPA music) unpaid?

Time for the dreaded "10% Cap" again (an ill-fated attempt in the 1990s to
artificially cap CPA payments at ASCAP that was abandoned after the
membership complained)?

Why no watermarking standard?

Why competing fingerprinting systems/databases between ASCAP and BMI that
are (in the case of ASCAP's MediaGuide) not implemented for royalty payments
on television, only radio?

Who wins when there is no standard and no watermarking by either society?

And all we get to read about in PLAYBACK magazine is Marc Shaiman's new
Broadway musical and more and more pictures of Marilyn Bergman with this
songwriter or that. No discussion of the issues, only hype.


Best,

Mark Northam