[Fmpro] Announcement from the Film Music ProList Administrator

[Mark Northam]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: fmpro-bounces+markn=gmocorp.com at nxport.com [mailto:fmpro-
> bounces+markn=gmocorp.com at nxport.com] On Behalf Of Pete
> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 9:15 AM
> To: fmpro at nxport.com
> Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Announcement from the Film Music ProList
Administrator
> 
> --- On Mon, 7/7/08, Mark Northam <markn at gmocorp.com> wrote:
> > Bottom line: ASCAP has not once, ever disputed a single
> > word published on
> > this online discussion forum or published in Film Music
> > magazine since its inception.
> >
> > Mark Northam
> 
> With due respect, you've got a short term selective memory. Doug Wood, an
actual
> Member of the Board of ASCAP has many times disputed what's been written
on
> this list. 

With due respect, Doug has never posted here officially as an ASCAP Board
member - in fact, his disclaimer made it very clear that anything he posted
on the list was NOT said in any official capacity as an ASCAP Board member,
but was solely his own opinion. And I don't call blanket condemnations with
no specifics a "dispute" - it's slinging mud, and not worthy of the high
level of dialogue that occurs on this list. 

Doug has done some great things for composers at ASCAP and I'll be the first
to acknowledge him for that. But indicting the integrity of this list and
those on it the way he did, then failing to provide any specifics despite
two requests from the list admin to do so, is not up to his standards. I
don't know why he felt compelled to strike out at those who simply want to
learn more about how their royalties are collected and paid, but he did, and
refused to back it up with facts or specifics. 

But, given your comment, I'll amend my statement:

ASCAP has not once, ever officially disputed a single word published on this
online discussion forum or published in Film Music magazine since its
inception.

> Sean of SOCAN generously spent a week correcting misconceptions on the
list until
> he finally had to basically say, "I've gotta go, I have other work to do
for my
> members".

For you to mischaracterize Sean's gracious answering of questions and
providing some really great educational information about SOCAN as
"correcting misconceptions" is hardly accurate or fair to Sean, who spent a
great deal of time giving accurate and detailed answers to all questions
asked of him - something not a single ASCAP official has ever done in an
official capacity in this history of this list. 

The many legitimate questions asked of Sean is perhaps indicative of the
lack of educational information (beyond the basics) currently available from
the PROs generally - especially in the area of foreign memberships,
registration techniques, and such - something that we do our best to address
on the FMPRO list. And that's why Doug's blanket attack on the integrity of
this list felt so wrong to me - who else out there is even trying to educate
and engage composers about the finer details of successfully managing your
royalties. Sure, there's plenty of "here's how to fill out a cue sheet"
primer stuff, but who's talking about millions deducted from local TV
composers pay under the "Spot Adjustment Factor" which isn't explained
anywhere on the ASCAP website, how to manage foreign PRO memberships (also
not mentioned on the ASCAP website) and topics like that? These are
critically important subjects that I've never seen covered in any great
detail anywhere other than the FMPRO list.

Best,

Mark Northam