[Fmpro] Pump and $MTV$

[Mark Northam]

Don't forget about performance royalties...

Even if a publisher does a sync/master deal, that's no guarantee the
writer(s) will get a portion of those monies. If the performing rights are
bought out or waived, or avoided via direct license, the writers could end
up with little.

Classic scenario: Music Library A sells blanket license to their 500 CDs to
Broadcaster B for $10,000 with no effective reporting requirement back to
the library as to which tracks they used, since it's a blanket license.
Library pockets $10,000 and doesn't distribute to composers since "we don't
know which tracks they used, so we have no way to distributing the money
fairly to the composers". Yeah, how convenient.  For those tracks that do
end up on cue sheets accurately, assuming the PROs decide to track and pay
the music, the writers will get their writers share of performing rights.
But the sync (blanket license) fees? Often not.

Ditto for advances to libraries in some cases. After all, it's an advance -
how would they know "who to distribute it to"... Into the ole pocket again!

No paper trail, no verification, no way for composers to know they're being
paid properly. ASCAP and the libraries, same principal.

Another reason composers need to keep their copyrights and be in a position
to dictate better terms for library deals...

Best,

Mark Northam


On 10/3/07 10:06 PM, "Pete" <musical411 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I don't know what libraries/composers went for a "no
> sync/master" deal. Apparently enough to keep the
> policy going.