[Fmpro] The role of managers re: royalties?

[Mark Northam]

Hi Lynne -

Of course you may use my name, as long as you promise to tell me what they
say (that is printable) after you mention my name :-)

A hint: focus on the issues, not on me or any other personality involved.
What ASCAP may or may not think of me is irrelevant compared to the issues
at hand - namely the payment rules, election rules, etc. Keep your eye on
the ball: the issues. If they say the basis for a question is wrong or
false, ask them to explain exactly how it is wrong, and to correct it.
Remember, we're dealing with the distribution of hundreds of millions of
dollars here... Just like a bank or financial brokerage company, clients
have the right to financial and operational details of how their money is
being collected and spent.

To clarify, I posted the questions not to send you in to ASCAP as a
messenger, but to inspire you to want to know the same information that
others have been wondering about for some time.  Feel free to add, subtract,
edit, etc. and make them **your** questions, if you indeed are interested in
learning more about some of the more interesting aspects of performance
royalties for film and television music. But no, I have no problem with you
using my name. Have fun.

Best,

Mark

On 5/8/07 1:03 PM, "Lynne T. Conte" <profwoman4u2 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Mark,
> 
> While I am waiting for a response from my referral, can I have your
> permission to give your name at ASCAP regarding the questions that you have
> sent?  I will re-call ASCAP with your questions, but they are your questions
> and I need to use your name with your permission.
> 
> Musically Yours,
> 
> Lynne T. Conte/Talent Manager
> Conte's Networking Communications
> 707-440-2900
> 
> On 5/8/07, Mark Northam <mnortham at gmdgroup.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 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.
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
>