• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content

Pandora|Policy

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Instagram Pandora
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Search Toggle
Publication

DiMA President & CEO: Critics of ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees Are Missing the Point

"The decrees are not broken," writes Garrett Levin, president and CEO of digital services trade group DiMA.

Billboard
Garrett Levin

August 11, 2020

The U.S. Department of Justice recently convened a series of workshops to review “competition in licensing in public performance rights.” For a government agency considering seismic changes to music licensing laws, it was well-intentioned and an appropriate exercise. Regrettably, however, the conversation lacked the critical perspective of numerous voices, including the music streaming services and consumer advocates.

The discussion throughout the workshop, much like the larger ongoing conversation around music publishing reforms, repeatedly returned to calls for “modernizing” the Justice Department’s consent decrees that protect licensees and consumers from the anti-competitive effects of the two largest performing rights organizations (PROs) — ASCAP and BMI. The requests for “modernization” were virtually all premised on the need to address the innovations in music distribution made possible by digital music companies. Modernization is an important goal when outdated systems truly no longer work; as an industry we recognized that was the case in mechanical licensing and came together to pass the Music Modernization Act.

But let’s be very clear that the PRO consent decrees are not hindering the music industry or in need of modernization because they happen to have originated in the 1940s. The decrees aren’t unnecessary and outdated because they have been in place for decades. They have existed for decades precisely because of their ongoing value in ensuring fair and competitive access to music works. And they aren’t obsolete because of innovations in music distribution — improvements made possible because the consent decrees recognize that differences in distribution tech don’t equate to differences in licensing needs.

Read the full letter in Billboard here

 

ASCAP/BMI, Consent Decree, Copyright, Digital Streaming, DOJ, Licensing, Music, Performance Rights Organizations (PROs)
Publication

The DOJ’s entertainment industry blitz

American Thinker
Alex Keeney

December 29, 2018

This July, no one in Hollywood was surprised to see his office lobby littered with a prescient edition of The Hollywood Reporter, whose cover story read, “Welcome to Hollywood’s Age of Anxiety.”

ASCAP/BMI, Consent Decree, DOJ, Licensing
Publication

Year in Music 2018: Making the Music Modernization Act Happen

Nashville Scene
Marissa Ross

December 13, 2018

In today’s fraught political environment, it’s hard to imagine a consensus on anything — let alone on an arts-related bill that ended up being signed into law by none other than consumer-of-all-joy Donald Trump. But that’s what happened with the federal Music Modernization Act.

Congress, Copyright, Licensing, Music Modernization Act
Op-Ed

DOJ Must Preserve Consent Decrees to Protect Music Consumer Choice

Morning Consult
John Bodnovich (American Beverage Licensees), Shannon Meade (National Restaurant Association) & Tara Good (WineAmerica)

December 04, 2018

When a customer walks into a bar, restaurant, hotel, brewery or winery, they’re focused on enjoying the experience, not the intricacies of music licensing. Instead, hundreds of thousands of public hospitality venues across the nation are responsible for purchasing a music license from performing rights organizations, like ASCAP and BMI, through a confusing, opaque and often cumbersome process. If music is being played in their business via CD, DJ, band, a streaming platform, karaoke, iPad, radio, television or otherwise, they must buy a license.

ASCAP/BMI, Consent Decree, Licensing, Performance Rights Organizations (PROs)
Publication

Brewery ensures local songwriters get royalties for their original music

Hometown Life
Sharon Dargay

November 14, 2018

“What I say is we’re the originator of live music here in South Lyon,” Robinson said. “We pay the licenses. We are trying to set a standard here. No bad blood or ill will to anybody else, but you know what? We’re paying. I’m trying to do the right thing. We pay more in music (license fees) now than we pay in excise taxes for alcohol. So we pay about $2,000 a year to BMI, ASCAP and SESAC. That’s more than we pay in alcohol tax.”

ASCAP/BMI, Consent Decree, Licensing, Royalties
Publication

Music Licensing: A History

NRB Music Licensing Committee
NRB Music Licensing Committee

June 01, 2018

There are a number of separate copyrights in music, but the history of ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and the broadcast industry involves only one, the “small” or “non-dramatic” public performance right.

Copyright, Digital Streaming, Licensing, Music Industry
Op-Ed

From Player Pianos to Paper Notices: A Modern Update to Music Licensing Is Long Overdue (Guest Column)

Billboard
Michael Beckerman

May 10, 2018

Rarely does a century-old musical instrument drive policy in Washington, but that’s exactly what’s happening in the music community at this moment.

Congress, Internet Association, Licensing, Music Modernization Act
Publication

Lawmakers Introduce Music Modernization Act, Which Simplifies Digital Licensing and Increases Rates

Variety
Jem Aswad

December 21, 2017

The bill reforms Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act to create a single licensing entity that administers the mechanical reproduction rights for all digital uses of musical compositions, such those used in interactive streaming models offered by Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, Google and others, according to a release from the National Music Publisher Association.

Congress, Licensing, Music Modernization Act, Royalties
Publication

War Erupts Over Whose Global Music Rights Database Is Better

Digital Music News
Daniel Sanchez

August 04, 2017

Music data, ownership records, and a horde of licenses remain wildly disorganized.  Three weeks ago, Congress proposed a global, centralized music database to ensure that artists get paid on every streaming platform.  And, every other platform — digital, physical, and analog — for that matter.

Congress, Copyright, Licensing, Music Industry
Publication

House GOP Bills Envision Old Recording Royalties, Licensing Database

Bloomberg
Anandashankar Mazumdar

July 21, 2017

Two House Republicans introduced bills this week aimed at revamping the copyright system for music recordings.

Congress, Copyright, Licensing, Music Industry
Next Page »

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Investor Relations
  • AMP
  • Next Big Sound
  • For Brands
  • Instagram Pandora
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Copyright © 2021 Pandora Media, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use. Pandora and the Music Genome Project are registered trademarks of Pandora Media, Inc. | Ad Preferences