[Fmpro] Given Credit

[Mark Northam]

Hi John -

A songwriter/composer, who is an heir to a very large songwriting estate,
made the comment some years ago "The estates realize that they may have to
release more money" referring to performing rights royalties.

Given all the secrecy at ASCAP,  the outrageously false promises on their
website that they provide "full financial disclosure" and "our books are
open to all", it's impossible to determine if the estates of the founding
members of ASCAP are getting any special treatment or not. We simply don't
have the data, and ASCAP won't release it.

We can only wonder who benefits from all this secrecy. Certainly not the
membership in many cases.

It seems to me that the prime beneficiaries of all this secrecy is the board
and management of ASCAP, who utterly avoid individual accountability in so
many cases. I fail to see how members benefit from so much critical
information being kept secret. But until composers are willing to fight to
get better treatment, we'll keep on getting the second-class treatment we
get now. Trouble is, very few composers are willing to stand up for what we
all know is right. 

On a personal note, I hope our elected composer board members are ready to
take strong action, but have yet to see that. I see a lot of "waffling"
language about lofty goals, but very, very little action. I guess once you
get behind those closed doors, things change...

Best,

Mark Northam



On 11/2/07 3:41 PM, "John Stone" <buddhastone at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 
> To Mark, Les and list,
>  
> Was there not some talk about the "families" of the first ASCAP writers/houses
> allowing few royalty concessions?
> I can't remember the exact string, but the idea seemed to be that the royal
> few that still receive royalty (no pun) for their progenitors' song titles are
> the real deciders for ASCAP.
>  
> Please forgive me if this is too far fetched (mayby it was just a bad dream)
> but I could believe that the heirs or publishers that hold those great
> Broadway melodies could easily pull strings. Anyone remember this bit?
>  
> I insert this only because the new BMI announcment and ASCAP reaction has got
> me interested in USA PRO's again.
>  
> John
>> Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Given Credit> Simple answer: The PROs have made the
>> system so complicated...a conscious decision the PROs make... so the system
>> will be so monolithic... intimidating...> Mark Northam  So, not one of almost
>> 1000 people on this lis has any idea how their> > ASCAP pay is calculated?> >
>> Are you all seriously in denial?> > Little wonder some never get paid.> > L>
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---------------------------------
Mark Northam, CEO
Global Media Development Group

http://www.RoyaltyWeek.com - The Business of Music Royalties Worldwide

1-800-774-3700 ext. 702 / 310-645-9000 ext. 702
http://www.gmdgroup.com
Yahoo/Skype: marknortham  /  AIM: mnortham