[Fmpro] CPA (was Did you???????)

[James Ryan]

Hi Les,
Over the years you have coached us all to stand up and be counted.  I  
am not in the library world, and I won't pretend to know the ins and  
outs of how it works, but if I was, I would do everything in my power  
to make sure that my music was being watched over, PRO-wise.  I used  
to just let it go, but now, a significant part of my income is from  
ASCAP.  That is not an accident.  It is because I follow the check  
list I posted.  I'm not berating you or preaching, but I would  
strongly suggest you put all that energy towards some way to get your  
jingle/PRO/library situation under control.

I brought this up on this list once before and if my memory serves me  
well, it was in response to an "authoritative" claim on the list  
saying that there was no significant PRO income in jingles, and I  got  
hammered for being "anecdotal."  I didn't bother to argue; I was too  
busy filling out deposit slips.  I will say it again for perspective.   
I SWEAR to you that on a national spot I did for Palmolive a few years  
ago, the ASCAP income over a year was in the area of $50K.  Yes, yes,  
this is exceptional and I never hit that jackpot again, but I have  
made ASCAP money on my national spots, all of them, and even if it's  
only a few bucks, it adds up.  My point - it is worth the effort to  
get this situation under control, whatever it takes.  It is NOT futile.

Les, you are a sage old bugger. (sorry) I am not telling you anything  
you don't know, and if the money is as important to you as I think it  
is, you'll figure out how to sit down with your Library folks and  
hammer out some kind of deal that will ultimately be very profitable  
for them aggregated out to all there writers and gets you what you  
deserve.  If CPA is such a huge part of what's on the air, even at the  
pathetic rate it's paid, there is money to be made, the writers  
deserve it, and it is available if you are willing to go the extra  
mile, fill out the prehistoric forms, play the game and go for it.  I  
am definitely not condoning the requirements for getting paid.  As you  
know, I personally confronted John Lofrumento about this and got a  
polite "we're working on it" which appears to have gone nowhere so  
far.  I get exhausted, I get frustrated, I get angry, but bottom line,  
I get paid, and so should you and anyone on this list who writes CPA.

Very best,

James


On Apr 4, 2008, at 10:12 AM, LesHurdle wrote:

> I copied this entire email simply because there is a Q at the foot.
>
> Hi James,
>
> No, I did none of what you suggest !!!!!!!!!!!
>
> As I have said many times....... after years as a studio guys and a
> few years in the UK writing for film/tv, I got fed up with dealing
> with idiots and suits so I elected to write for Libraries.
>
> I NEVER know when a piece is 'sold' until many months later [via my
> Statement from the Publ.] and often the Ad has aired before I know of
> it.
> In this case I requested the Library to followup.
> They say they did, to no avail at ASCAP.
> Did they, how do I know?
> But surely this is what they get 50% for !!
>
> Th real bottom line;
>
> Libraries have been convinced by ASCAP that CPA is of such little
> value and seldom turns up in a survey [especially Local TV] there is
> no point in spending the Pubs money to go after collection.
>
> Frankly, as with all of my gripes about 'variations' etc, I find the
> fact any PRO simply 'takes' money from a client for music on air,
> then keeps it...... disgusting, and the really sad part is, those we
> elect allow it, and support it.
>
> Les