Music Licensing
Music
licensing fees are a necessary operating expense overlooked by many low power
groups. It
would be impossible for song writers and performers to individually collect
royalty and copyright payments from broadcasters and others using music.
This problem has been solved by the three major music licensing
organizations: the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Composers; Broadcast Music
Incorporated; and the Society European
Composers, Artists, Publisher collectively represent the majority of
professional musicians in the United States.
Blanket annual license fees solve the time consuming job of tracking and
reporting each individual song placed.
Current LPFM Rates (about $900)
ASCAP - One Lincoln Plaza, NY 10023
800
99ASCAP Fax:
212 621-6646
BMI
– 10 Music Square East; Nashville, TN 37203-4399
800
258-5813 or 615 401-2000
SESAC – 55 Music Square East; Nashville, TN 37203
800
826-9996
As
soon as you sign-on your station, have each organization send you their
application forms.
Concentrate on the portion related to blanket fees for LPFM stations.
(Annual fees for major market commercial stations are greater than the
cost for all equipment for your
station!)
Payment of the annual fee is pro rated based on the number of months left
in the year at the time.
Radio
stations get music from many sources – free CDs and tapes from famous and
unknown performers.
Normally the artist wants air play, not a check from you!
You might buy music at a store, download from the Internet, or people
might give the station music from their personal collection.
Always check the music label to see if it is licensed or check the artist
databases from the Big Three, updated weekly.
Any time you use unlicensed music it is wise to contact the artist.
If your station has a web site (it should) you can offer to give their
contact information on your site and a hyperlink to their site.
On the other hand, if someone pays you (cash or gifts) to play anything,
you must acknowledge this with on-air
“underwriting announcements” or you could go to jail for violating the
Payola Law!
To Request Current Music Licensing Procedures and Fees contact:
ASCAP: 800 99-ASCAP or www.ascap.com
BMI: Regional office contacts may be obtained from www.bmi.com
SESAC: 800 826-9996 or www.sesac.com
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