Making Our Case

Over the years, ASCAP has worked tirelessly to convince Congress and the courts that all songwriters, composers and music publishers are entitled to fair compensation for their copyrighted musical works. As you know, ASCAP represents the performing right, a large and growing part of your compensation. But mechanical and synchronization rights are also a critical element of your livelihood.

Recently, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) began hearings that will determine mechanical rates for every songwriter and music publisher in America. It will be critical because, in addition to setting rates for physical products, rates will be set for the first time ever for digital products such as digital downloads, subscription services and ringtones.

Our friends at The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) will be representing the mechanical rights interests of songwriters and music publishers in these hearings. They will be fighting vigorously to protect those mechanical right interests to ensure that musical compositions are compensated fairly. On the other side of this fight stands the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Digital Media Association (DiMA). Both the RIAA and DiMA have proposed significant reductions in mechanical royalty rates that would be disastrous for songwriters and music publishers.

And while all this is going on, ASCAP has been leading the fight for fair performance right compensation in Federal Court against DiMA members AOL, Yahoo! and RealNetworks. Our case has been heard and we expect an outcome this summer.

Clearly, these are perilous times for those of us that create the music that generates profit for those that use our music. But remember this, there would be no profit without our musical compositions that they are fighting to use so freely!

In a few weeks ASCAP will present its third annual "I Create Music" EXPO in Los Angeles. One of the many benefits of the EXPO is that it provides a chance for music creators to understand and discuss the challenges facing us. The EXPO is also an extraordinary opportunity for the community of songwriters, composers, music publishers, producers, music business executives and others to share three days of valuable education, inspiration and guidance.

With any community, the more each individual participates the stronger that community becomes. Those who have experienced either of the first two EXPOs know that there is nothing more exhilarating than joining together with some of the most successful music creators and innovators across all genres to develop our skills, celebrate our craft and grow our business. I hope to see you there.