Performing rights organization BMI shared the financial results from the 2017 fiscal year. Annual revenue reached a record high of $1.13 billion. Distributions and administrations to artists totaled $1.023 billion, another record figure. According to the press release, BMI’s 2017 results are the largest public performance revenue and royalty distributions of any music rights organization worldwide. Continue Reading
ASCAP and BMI announced a collaboration that will see the two performing rights organizations create a single comprehensive database of musical works from their libraries. The database will contain an overview of shares and rights information for much of the music licensed in the United States, offering more clarity around music ownership. Continue Reading
BMI announced two promotions within its upper ranks, effective immediately. Alison Smith and Mike Steinberg have both been elevated from SVP to EVP positions in their respective departments. Continue Reading
The Department of Justice is appealing a September decision by federal judge Louis Stanton which contradicted the DOJ on the issue of fractional licensing. The DoJ filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, an action it had been planning to take for months. Continue Reading
BMI and the Radio Music License Committee have set an interim licensing rate that will apply while the two parties continue negotiating a final rate. Judge Louis Stanton, who presides over BMI’s Federal Rate Court in the Southern District of New York, set the interim amount. Continue Reading
Consent decrees are back in the headlines. This time, it’s because the Department of Justice is appealing the decision by federal Judge Louis Stanton about fractional licensing. The DoJ response means that the second circuit court of appeals will hear the case. Continue Reading
BMI’s rate court has issued a ruling in favor of the performing rights organization in assessing the Department of Justice’s recent consent decree review. U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton of New York has rejected the 100% licensing provision recently handed down by the DoJ. Continue Reading
BMI reported revenue of $1.06 billion for its fiscal year ending June 30, the highest it has posted in the company’s history. It also distributed $931 million to its songwriters, composers, and publishers, another record high on the back of a 6% on-year increase. Continue Reading
It’s official. The Department of Justice has released the final ruling for its review of performing rights organization consent decrees, which includes “full-works licensing” and prohibits withdrawal of digital rights from bundled licenses. Both ASCAP and BMI are already mounting their responses. Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Justice has completed its much anticipated two-year review of consent decrees — decades-old laws which govern how ASCAP and BMI are permitted to license music on behalf of songwriters, composers, and publishers. The bottom line: No change, and a blow to the two major performing rights organizations (PROs) which have lobbied for more flexible control of rights management, especially in the streaming era. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Legal expert criticizes consent decree changes; SoundCloud tips for new listeners; visualizing media’s digital upheaval. Continue Reading
Pandora announced breakthrough content licensing deals this morning with ASCAP and BMI, the two largest Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) representing songwriters, publishers, and composers. With two separate multi-year agreements, Pandora puts to bed acrimonious lawsuits that have troubled its key relationships for two years. Continue Reading