In ASCAP’s just-released annual report for 2023, the performing rights organization announces record-breaking royalty collections on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publisher members. Click for details and charts. Continue Reading
Called the Catch Point Catalog Acquisition Program, the goal is to allow mid- and lower-level songwriters monetize their compositions. The company hopes to realize long-tail value which can be accumulated through many purchases of small catalogs. Click for details. Continue Reading
Leading performance rights organizations (PROs) ASCAP and BMI have jointly announced the launch of Songview, a searchable database of music ownership rights. Better organization and transparency in the tangled field of music ownership has long been needed, according to nearly all experts in the field, to more accurately and quickly direct royalty payments to the proper creators. Continue Reading
ASCAP announced that it recorded record high distributions and revenues in 2019. The performing rights organization generated $1.274 billion in 2019 revenue, up from $1.227 billion the previous year. Distributions also surpassed $1 billion for the third consecutive year. Continue Reading
The coronavirus pandemic has already had an impact on music consumption and performance around the world. Performing rights organization ASCAP is the latest company to share changes as a result of the disease. President and Chairman Paul Williams told members in an email that the organization is postponing its scheduled April 6 payments to April 28. Continue Reading
The Department of Justice has closed the open comment period for its review of the consent decrees governing ASCAP and BMI. Both of the performing rights organizations have submitted their views on the subject, as have other groups from the music and audio industry. Even though the topic was recently addressed by the DOJ, the sector still has deeply divided interests in how these rules may or may not change. Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Justice has officially opened a new review of the consent decrees governing ASCAP and BMI. Both performance rights organizations have operated their copyright management systems under these rules for more than 75 years. The review will examine whether the decrees should continue in their current state, receive modifications, or be ended entirely. Continue Reading
Consent decrees are back in the headlines. These rules govern how performing rights organizations ASCAP and BMI collect fees for use of their catalogs, but now the Department of Justice is reviewing the decrees and considering their end. Today, ASCAP and BMI issued an open letter with their stance on the possible reforms. Continue Reading
Major labels and publishers are quick to call in the copyright lawyers, and this time their target was a podcast that they claimed was illegally using music in episodes. David Oxenford explains the distinctions between different performance licenses and what podcasters should do to stay on the right side of copyright law. Continue Reading
ASCAP shared the results from two court proceedings against broadcast radio stations from Royce International Broadcasting Corporation in California. The stations, KFRH-FM, KREV-FM, and KRCK-FM, will pay the performing rights organization more than $1.5 million in license fees, costs, attorneys’ fees, and statutory damages. Continue Reading
ASCAP reported that it distributed more than $1 billion to its members for the first time in 2017. The performing rights organization collected revenue of about $1.144 billion and distributed more than $1.007 billion last year. The group’s total revenue was up 8% on-year and distributions increased 10%. Continue Reading
ASCAP announced that Tristan Boutros has joined the performing rights organization as its chief technology officer. In this role, he will lead ASCAP’s technology strategy and execution, guiding projects such as elastic computing, cloud tech, and the API roadmap. Boutros most recently worked as chief of operations at The New York Times, with prior work at Warner Music Group, BlackBerry, and IAC. Continue Reading