Turning Performances Into Dollars
Every performance picked up in ASCAP's survey generates a certain number of credits. Each credit is worth a certain dollar value. The number of credits for each performance depends upon several factors, among them:
- HOW the music is used "feature, theme, background, etc."
- WHERE the music is performed "network or local television, radio, cable, etc."
- HOW much the licensee pays us
- The time of day of the performance "with respect to television and cable"
- The general licensing allocation applied to radio and television performances
If a song earns a certain threshold of radio feature performance credits in a quarter, additional credits are then added to that song's total credits as
Radio Feature Premium payments. These payments recognize the
increased value to the repertory of frequently performed songs.
Theme, underscore and feature performances in highly rated network and local TV series earn additional credits as
TV Premium payments.These payments recognize the importance of these highly rated programs to the value of the repertory.
In the case of music used as
underscoring in films and television programs, the
length, or duration, of the work will affect the number of credits generated. In the case of
live symphony and concert performances, the
length, or duration, and the
instrumentation will also affect the number of credits a particular performance will generate (full orchestra, chamber work, etc.)
Monies to writers and publishers are paid out in
separate distributions covering the
same performance periods. The dollar value of a performance credit is determined annually, taking into account the estimated
total number of ASCAP credits being processed for writers or publishers and the
total number of dollars available for distribution. A writer's or publisher's royalty check is determined by
multiplying the number of credits they earned for performances of their works during a quarter by the
dollar value of a credit for that quarter. For example, if a writer earned 10,000 credits for performances of her works on radio and television in a three-month period and the value of one writer credit was $7.71, the writer's royalty check would be $77,100 (10,000 X $7.71).
10,000 credits
x $7.71 credit value
__________________________
$77,100 Royalty |
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