[Fmpro] The CEO's & CPA music?

[LesHurdle]

On Nov 27, 2007, at 8:37 PM, Mark Northam wrote:

> Why do you think ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento hasn't dared do a public
> Q&A out here in LA for years now (other than to "invited" audiences  
> where
> people who ask too many questions are shut out), since we busted  
> him trying
> to say that "large chunks" of the ASCAP Local Cable Settlement  
> weren't paid
> to radio writers when ASCAP documents prove exactly the opposite.

Hi James,

The event revisited above was a dark day for 'honour' at any business.

I received a call from an old ASCAP stager who would never have a bad  
word said against ASCAP [he remembers when the Annual Meetings were  
dinner jackets and 'dinner' ] until ASCAP took away his 'pension'...  
the 4 fund........  he asked me if I was going to
'the meeting'........... well of-course it was only for the 'bought  
and paid for' in LA.

A number of enquiring minds asked permission to attend and were denied.
The room will be full, no seats available !!
Those same enquiring minds simply went to the lobby of the hotel and  
sat there until Mr Brabek reluctantly invited us in.
MANY seats available !!

Prior to the meeting... when Mr Wood had attended a board meeting  
where one must presume the 'deal' for the retro cable payment was  
hammered out, Mr Wood left knowing what the deal was.
I later faxed him data indicating song was to be paid a large % of  
this CABLE money via radio data [???????].
It would appear, after Mr Wood left the room, or another day, ASCAP  
changed the rules without his knowledge.

I faxed a copy of the data to Mr Lofrumento while he was in LA, prior  
to the meeting.......... he called the data , a 'rumour' !!
'HIS' data.. which his staff used in 'court' a few days later.

Many other stupid things happened in that meeting room that day, but  
they can be revisited another day.

One of the big problems James actually is 'you'.

No, not that you are a bad guy, but when an ASCAP member is able to  
go to HQ, meet with staff, prove a point and then be paid.... it is a  
HUGE problem since not all members can do that.

The point being, ASCAP works for some, but not all... and I'm sure  
this even moreso the case at BMI....... SESAC....... oh well !

In a previous post James you slam the Pro list...............  thanks  
for the support buddy............. sure you didn't get the support  
you expected re watermarking, 'we' warned you the people on this list  
are not exactly made out of steel......... but the mere fact you  
knock the very conduit for a great deal of honest info doesn't make  
you sit right in my eyes.
However, if the brave band of folk who attempted to educate PRO  
members......... with the help of well situated songwriters.... via  
the AACO  did not look to ASCAP as a threat at that time, why would  
the CEO simply panic and call the CEO's of overseas PRO's asking them  
not to participate in events?
Why the middle of the night calls to Mssr Tournier..............

FEAR

Fear of the truth ever reaching the surface.

Thank goodness those CEO's overseas could see the longterm need for  
data and understanding......... also interesting, once SGAE had run  
their AACO seminar and made a wave or two, pages in Spanish appeared  
in Playback and apparently Cuban writers got to be paid ;-)

Do I blame senior staff at ASCAP?

No, they are simply doing a job, doing what they are told... BUT.....  
to hide like the trollers on this list do, to NEVER provide data....  
shameful and I can only thank goodness I don't have to hide in shame  
or carry such guilt.

I'll remind one and all.... the last time Mr Lofrumento meet me, at a  
breakfast organized by John Cacavas, among other things he told me he  
wanted to introduce 1-1.
I feel very bad for Mr L, to have one's hands tied so can't be healthy.

'nuff said.

Les