[Fmpro] It really is personal

[LesHurdle]

When one looks at the make up of a PRO board and staff it is  
painfully obvious, there is a disconnect with members at a very  
important level.

MONEY

The Publishers on the board, one must presume,  are paid at least a  
living standard salary by their respective companies.
Not one writer board member is the PRO member from Bo-Punk Idaho who  
has the jingle on air for the local plumbing store, but didn't get  
paid one dime.
No one on staff is paid via commission only, along with NO benefits.

Yet all of these people personally make it their business to insure  
certain music, certain members, are either not paid or paid poorly.

Recently it was implied broadcasters pay for usage via a license, 'by  
the pound'.
Just what does this mean?

I have to deduce from such a statement the broadcasters and the PRO  
negotiators try to figure out what % of airtime is to be discussed,  
bear in mind direct licensing is in excess of 25% of national airtime  
[according to an ASCAP Sen VP 10+ years ago], and bear in mind the  
PRO has no real idea what is on the air [the broadcasters do !], then  
once the % to be discussed is agreed, the amount to be paid is  
agreed, but based on what?

Mr Willard Hoyt, who represents the Local TV industry, claims his  
people do not discriminate between genres of music and pay a PRO at a  
weighting of 1-1 [this data via a FMN seminar some years ago].
[I'm sure you've all heard of the decades how certain shows/tunes/ 
themes etc are the real negotiating tool, but are they... some have  
stories to tell which might blow this myth away.]

So one must conclude the staff of a PRO and the board members take it  
upon themselves to insure certain genres of music are not paid as per  
the income stream [less admin], certain genres of music will seldom  
be surveyed [nor paid], but certain genres [and a few people] will  
benefit via massive payment[s] for very little airtime [where ongoing  
bonuses are concerned].

When your music is aired, when you know the broadcasters paid for the  
right to air your music, when you are then not paid, is the non  
payment to you not personal?


People on staff and the board decided not to pay you.
Are you ok with that?


You may have heard the lines from one PRO;
  "If we paid for all music on air there would be no money left to  
pay anybody".
"It is not cost effective to pay for all music aired"
What does this tell you?

Presume Mr Hoyt is correct, music is paid for by broadcasters @  
1-1........  why then would  staff and board members elect to pay  
differently?
It has to be a personal decision made at some point in times past,  
now supported seemingly 100% by those who you voted for !!.

Why would a songwriter on a PRO board not want your instrumental  
music to be paid at the same rate if it isn't personal?

Competition....... hog wash.

Please remember, everytime you receive money from your PRO, you  
actually have money belonging to someone else, and possibly a very  
deserving person.

L