[Fmpro] CPA music?

[Mark Northam]

On 11/27/07 7:10 PM, "James Ryan" <jeryan at optonline.net> wrote:

> I had the wonderful and embarrassing experience to stand before
> John LoFrumento and hear him describe the small handful of letters he
> received from a list that I believe is over a thousand strong.  I had
> no support, he knew it, and the results are what we have today - no
> watermarking, no electronic tracking of any kind for score.

Good points, James.

I know a lot of people who are unhappy with ASCAP's policies towards
composers. But I can count on one hand the number of those people who are
willing to put their name on ANYTHING public that is the least bit critical
of ASCAP, or as you saw, even asking ASCAP for watermarking. For some, it's
apathy, but for many I believe, it's fear.

ASCAP is too strong, too powerful, and without checks and balances.
Composers who depend on ASCAP royalties for a significant part of their
income have good reason to fear ASCAP, an organization with no qualms about
retaliating against members who fall out of favor with management and staff.
With most appeals routes now gone thanks to the ASCAP Board, it really puts
composers in a tough spot, and I completely understand the reluctance of
many to speak out against practices that are blatantly and obviously unfair.
A composer organization could do so, but the PROs are quick to "sponsor"
those to make sure they have no bad things to say about their sponsors.

But I'll go back to the same issue - your ASCAP source. If he's unwilling to
provide numbers to bolster his claim, then I say he's full of it. There is
simply too much bile spewing from the PROs about how things are wonderful
and transparent, when the facts show that exactly the opposite is true.

Best,

Mark N.






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Mark Northam, CEO
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