[Fmpro] SOCAN and Foreign PROs (for Sean)

[Josh Silver]

Sean, I have a SOCAN specific question for you.  I am just try to  
clarify things for myself on this whole process of doing what needs to  
be done on my part to effectively receive the foreign royalties I  
should have coming to me as a SOCAN member.

I am currently working on a TV show that is at the moment only  
broadcasting in Canada, but will be broadcasting in the U.S. in the  
fall.  I currently have BMI designated as my U.S. PRO through SOCAN.   
Now am I supposed to understand that I will need to contact SOCAN and  
tell them every time I will be having my music broadcasted in any  
international countries so they will pursue collections of the related  
royalties for these broadcasts?

There are quite often times when my music is broadcasted  
internationally without me even knowing about it.  I have my music  
with many libraries, and have done projects where the communication  
with the production company is limited to say the least.  Most of the  
time I have no idea if projects that I have worked on that are  
intended for domestic broadcast have been also receiving international  
distribution unless I have good contact with the producers.  In the  
past I have never contacted SOCAN to make them aware of any  
international royalty collections but I have been receiving  
international royalties.  Maybe I haven't been receiving as much as I  
should have???

I just want to make sure I'm doing things correctly, so Sean can you  
please explain what needs to be done I my part if anything in regards  
to international royalty collection and anything I need to make SOCAN  
aware of in this process.

Last question...  would you condone signing up with foreign PROs  
directly as a Publisher for foreign royalty collections rather than  
going through SOCAN.  Since SOCAN doesn't take a cut of the royalties,  
it seems as if the royalty amounts would be the same either way, but  
would the collections be more accurate if I was a direct member of  
these foreign PROs?

Thanks so much for any help,

Josh