[Fmpro] The role of managers re: royalties?

[Mark Northam]

Hi Lynne -

I like your initiative - contact ASCAP directly and see what you can learn!

So here's your challenge: see how many of the following politely worded
questions "Greg" will provide direct answers to before he "has to go" or
suddenly discontinues the call somehow:

1. "Can you tell me why a minute of score music on TV is only paid 20% of
what a minute of song on the same program is paid by ASCAP?"

2. "Can you tell my why a minute of original music for advertising is paid
by ASCAP only 3% of what a minute of song is paid on the same TV program?"

3. "Can you tell me why ASCAP hasn't implemented MediaGuide on television
and added watermarking so music under dialogue and sound effects can be
tracked and paid, not just songs performed in the clear?"

4. "When an overseas PRO sends you money for one of my clients, why doesn't
ASCAP disclose the actual amount of money received, before any ASCAP
deductions, for the member on the members' statement? "

5. "How do ASCAP members benefit when ASCAP refuses to release election vote
counts, has effectively eliminated independent candidates, and in the case
of board vacancies, secretly chooses whomever they want to fill the spot
rather than respecting the vote counts of the remaining candidates?


And if "Greg" makes it through those questions without choking on his lunch,
here are a few more...



6. "How do ASCAP members benefit when ASCAP prevents me from speaking
directly with a foreign PRO if I have a question about how much that foreign
PRO paid my client?"

7. "Please tell me about ASCAP's advance program and how my client can
qualify for and advance.... No, Greg, not the "referral out to a bank loan"
program on the website, I'm talking about the "other" type of direct
advances that ASCAP has provided to members without going through a bank,
etc... You know, the kind negotiated by LA's top film and TV music agents
for their "star clients".

8. "Speaking of MediaGuide, Greg, how does ASCAP justify sinking tens of
millions of member dollars into a system that only benefits music on the
radio, which is primarily song?"

9. "Oh, and one more on MediaGuide... MediaGuide now tracks tons of
advertisements on radio and TV. When will ASCAP start paying all the writers
and publishers performance royalties for music in those ads, not just
tracking the ads for outside companies who want to see when and where they
are broadcast?"

10. "Thanks very much for those answers, Greg. Do you mind if I share them
with some friends on the Film Music Pro email discussion list?"


On 5/8/07 11:33 AM, "Lynne T. Conte" <profwoman4u2 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I spoke with a Greg over at ASCAP.