[Fmpro] Announcement from the Film Music ProList Administrator

[Mark Holden]

Announcement to all FMPRO subscribers:

Via this email discussion list, we encourage the free and open discussion of
all topics relevant to film & television music. In such discussion, you are
allowed to say, for instance, "that the sun revolves around the Earth,"
should that be your honest assertion.

However, if another subscriber challenges your statement, proclaiming "that
the Earth, if fact, orbits the sun," you are encouraged and even expected to
provide some reasonable defense of your post, perhaps citing quotes or
examples in support of your conclusion, or to clarify that it was only
pre-1000 A.D. pipers living near Stonehenge that really had the POV you were
expressing.

In so doing, we minimize misunderstandings and try to keep bad data, fuzzy
logic, and unreasonable assertions off these threads. That is our intention.

The FMPRO list is a unique resource in our industry and we intend to keep it
reliable. Human as we all are, we've found this policy to work in virtually
all instances.

List member Doug Wood wrote on Thu Jun 19 17:24:04 GMT 2008:
>I urge readers of this list to be wary of some of the angry anti-
>ASCAP diatribes posted here, and to take some of the vague
>insinuations, wild accusations and snide "insider" information with
>a grain of salt.

Doug was asked to provide some kind of clarification to his post or cite
examples in support of his rather harsh and sweeping statements against the
credibility of unnamed posters on this list. The allegations were just too
vast to simply let them pass without notice, and a second missive was posted
in challenge to his remarks.

As Doug has chosen not to respond to the list in defense of his statements,
I have little choice but to suspend his subscription to the FMPRO list for
30 days. 

While we acknowledge that Doug has the right to make any assertions under
the sun, he does not have the right to blow smoke and walk away from
invalidating and unsubstantiated remarks.

In declining to cite quotes, attributions, reasons, or other specificity to
his indictments, Doug is employing the same vagary and wild accusations he
levels against unnamed subscribers on this list. Such behavior will not be
tolerated.

At the end of this suspension, however, Doug may reestablish his
subscription to the FMPRO list without prejudice.

The complete list thread leading to this decision follows this missive.

Thank you for your attention,

Mark Holden
FMPRO Admin

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markholden at aol.com wrote on
Thu Jun 19 22:47:00 GMT 2008:

>Hi Doug,

>Welcome back to the FMPRO list. Especially during an ASCAP election year!
>I know our subscribers appreciate your input and accessibility.

Doug Wood wrote on Thu Jun 19 17:24:04 GMT 2008:
>>I urge readers of this list to be wary of some of the angry anti-
>>ASCAP diatribes posted here, and to take some of the vague
>>insinuations, wild accusations and snide "insider" information with
>>a grain of salt.

>Making unsubstantiated claims is not okay here. Indeed, your claim of
>"wild accusations" of unnamed FMPRO subscribers is in itself a wild
>accusation. Remember, the grain of salt can be applied to you as well.

>Please be specific, not vague, before casting insinuations in these
>pages. While the ASCAP board operates in secret, we do not.

>I'm not aware of ANY of our 800+ subscribers who could be construed as
>"anti-ASCAP." As you know, there are certain of ASCAP policies that fall
>under criticism because of disparate treatment of score compared to
>song-- unlike any royalty system on the planet. But that's a VERY FAR CRY
>from being against the institution itself.

>For you to paint this so divisively is misleading and wrong. As the
>FMPRO administrator, I respectfully request that you substantiate your
>accusations with specific instances or withdraw your remarks above as
>ill-considered.

>Most sincerely,

>Mark Holden
>FMPRO Admin

_________________________________________

markholden at aol.com wrote on
Sat Jun 28 22:36:51 GMT 2008

>ASCAP board member Doug Wood posted here last week and mentioned that
>his responses might be deferred until a project was completed. We
>understand time constraints!

>Sufficient time has now elapsed and I am re-issuing to Doug my
>missive as list administrator, challenging him to retract certain of
>his unsubstantiated statements posted to this list. That, or to document
>his accusations with specifics.

>We have not heard back from Doug on this matter of trashing on the FMPRO,
>cited [above], and it's time that we did. His personal credibility and that
>of our posting membership hangs in the balance.

>Very best,

>Mark Holden
>FMPRO Admin