[Fmpro] ASCAP/Digital Downloads

[andrew feazelle]

ASCAP Statement on Court Decision Pertaining to Digital Downloads

  *New York, NY, April 30, 2007:* ASCAP respectfully disagrees with the
court's decision. We are considering our options as the proceeding to
determine reasonable license fees to be paid by AOL, RealNetworks and Yahoo!
to compensate our writer and publisher members for the use of their music
goes forward to trial (scheduled to begin May 21)."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wouldn't it be good if the people upstairs at AOL, RealNetworks and Yahoo etc... agreed to pay ASCAP
on the condition that payment to members was 100% accurate and the books were open to keep
ASCAP honest.  How one could manufacture a situation like that is beyond me, as i can't find why AOL
would want money taken from them that wasn't before to be used honestly (I mean other than the fact
they don't want to be overpaying the PRO's).  But it may be a good argument for AOL if they get backed
into a corner by ASCAP in one of the appeals.  It would seem morally good to the court (i imagine), and 
if acceptable to the court may end up delaying AOL's payments to ASCAP (as ASCAP would have to 
figure out some way of accurately paying people which i'm sure would take forever).   

Or a better plan for AOL if they got backed in a corner is to say that they would directly pay ASCAP type
royalties as they already have tracking in place.  Plus more money would be going to artists as they wouldn't
have to pay for Bergman's 1st class tickets, 1st class office property rental, or other ASCAP related expences.  

A Fez