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
Pandora has filed an appeal against the decision of Judge Louis L. Stanton in the rate-setting case with BMI. The appeal argues that the original trial was “a case study in how a district court should not handle a rate court case.” Continue Reading
Brief news items and worth reads from around the web. Today: Where is the British breakout podcast? Also India roundup 2.0 and opposing sides get technical in a panel discussion on music licensing. Continue Reading
BMI announced that it will pay bonuses to the top songs on select streaming platforms. The performing rights organization’s new payment system complements the existing structures for premiums distributed to the top songs on radio and television channels. Continue Reading
Performing rights organization BMI announced its financial results from the past year, including total revenue of $1.013 billion. Money from digital sources – including Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube – rose 65% over the previous year. Continue Reading
A federal judge has denied Pandora’s request to reverse an earlier rate-setting ruling, and allow Pandora to pay lower music royalties to BMI. The decision is a mile-marker along a twisting path that involves the market-leading Internet radio service (Pandora), both government-regulated PROs (BMI and ASCAP), and South Dakota radio station KXMZ. Continue Reading
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In a Manhattan U.S. District Court, a ruling in the BMI vs. Pandora royalty rate case went in BMI’s direction late yesterday, raising the rate at which Pandora must pay for BMI-represented music by 43%. Continue Reading
The Department of Justice has been engaged in a review of consent decrees for more than a year. These rules govern the blanket licenses that performing rights organizations negotiate on behalf of music publishers. Billboard has a piece on the changes the department is reported to be considering, according to its unnamed sources. Continue Reading
Several publishers have been vocal about their interest in splitting from the performing rights organizations ASCAP and BMI. Their goal is to exert more control over digital rights management, pushing for increased royalty rates from online streaming services for their songwriters. However, a group of professional organizations and guilds centered on songwriting has released an open letter to publishers asking them to reconsider. Continue Reading
Pandora and BMI are scheduled to go to court tomorrow and hash out the legal issues surrounding the streaming company’s royalty payments to the performing rights organization. BMI is seeking 2.5% of Pandora’s revenue for royalties, up from the 1.75% that it currently pays. Pandora wants a rate of 1.7%, comparable to the rates paid by most terrestrial radio stations. Continue Reading