Author: thetrichordist

@Savan_Kotecha: The DOJ deals a devastating blow to professional songwriters — Artist Rights Watch

Last week, however, under Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse (a former Wilson Sonsini attorney — Google’s law firm), the DOJ announced that, going forward, it intends to interpret the Consent Decrees to require ASCAP and BMI to only issue licenses for songs they control 100%, up-ending decades of custom and practice. The DOJ’s intention, presumably, is to make life easier for companies like Google, Apple, and Spotify. In doing so, DOJ has created an unworkable solution to a non-existent problem.

via @Savan_Kotecha: The DOJ deals a devastating blow to professional songwriters — Artist Rights Watch

by thetrichordist

Music Creators North America Letter to Department of Justice Opposing Full Work Licensing, Partial Withdrawals — Artist Rights Watch

We begin by stating once again that we strenuously object to the timetable set by the DOJ for the submission of these comments. Unlike the many multi-­‐national, billion-­‐dollar corporations identified by your Division as “interested parties” concerning this matter (including one of the world’s richest, most powerful and influential corporations, Google), our coalition of music creators does not have and cannot afford to maintain an army of antitrust attorneys and experts to immediately prepare a detailed analysis and refutation of the solely telephonic report we were given by DOJ.

via Music Creators North America Letter to Department of Justice Opposing Full Work Licensing, Partial Withdrawals — Artist Rights Watch

by thetrichordist

@RobertBLevine_ : Apple Proposes Simplified Statutory Licensing Scheme to D.C. — Artist Rights Watch

This afternoon, Apple submitted a preliminary proposal to the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board to simplify the way music-streaming companies pay songwriters and publishers. Apple, which has always had a gift for creative simplicity, wants to make this process easier and more transparent, according to a copy of the filing obtained by Billboard. The company’s proposal to the Copyright Royalty Board suggests a simple, “all-in” statutory rate that would be “fair, simple and transparent, unlike the incredibly complicated structure that currently exists.”

via @RobertBLevine_ : Apple Proposes Simplified Statutory Licensing Scheme to D.C. — Artist Rights Watch

by thetrichordist

Canadian Music Publishers, Indie Labels and US Indie Publishers Reject Obama Administration Position on 100% Licensing — Artist Rights Watch

In what may be a foreshadowing of the WTO arbitration yet to come, the Canadian Music Publishers Association joined A2IM and AIMP in condemning the Obama Administration’s position on 100% licensing to protect the largest corporations in the world from collective action by songwriters.

via Canadian Music Publishers, Indie Labels and US Indie Publishers Reject Obama Administration Position on 100% Licensing — Artist Rights Watch

by thetrichordist

ASCAP CEO Beth Matthews Responds to the Recent Proposal from the US Department of Justice — Artist Rights Watch

ASCAP’s CEO tells songwriters that ASCAP strongly disagrees with the new government rule that forces PROs to adopt 100% licensing. None of the parties to the decrees raised the issue. “We believe that this approach will only create confusion, chaos and instability, harming both music creators and users. Even more troubling is the fact that the government chose this path, despite the fact that more than 15,000 songwriters and composers, as well as the US Copyright Office, members of Congress and others in the industry, registered their strong opposition to 100% licensing with the DOJ.”

via ASCAP CEO Beth Matthews Responds to the Recent Proposal from the US Department of Justice — Artist Rights Watch

by thetrichordist