Public Service Announcement (AS*CAP :o)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a non-profit performance rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them accordingly. ASCAP collects licensing fees from users of music created by ASCAP members, then distributes them back to its members as royalties (BMI has a similar method for its members). In effect, the arrangement is the product of a compromise: when a song is played, the user does not have to pay the copyright holder directly, nor does the music creator have to bill a radio station for use of a song.

In 2005, ASCAP collected US  $750 million in licensing fees and distributed US  $646 million in royalties to its members, with a 12.5% operating expense ratio. In the United States, ASCAP competes with two other performing rights organizations: Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) and theSociety of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC).

ABOUT ASCAP LICENSING (from their website)

ASCAP licenses the right to perform songs and musical works created and owned by songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers who are ASCAP members and members of foreign performing rights organizations who are represented by ASCAP in the United States.

It is impossible for individual composers and publishers to monitor the hundreds of thousands of businesses that use music. It would be equally difficult, time consuming and expensive for business owners to locate and negotiate with all the owners of the music that might be used. There is a simple, fast and reasonably priced alternative. Through ASCAP, in one simple transaction, businesses can obtain the right to perform the millions of songs created or owned by more than 330,000 of America's and hundreds of thousands of the world's best songwriters, composers, lyricists and publishers. Founded in 1914, and still owned by and managed for its writer and publisher members, ASCAP grants businesses the permission they need to perform music publicly. The money collected is distributed, after deducting operating costs (currently 11.9%), directly to ASCAP members and to affiliated foreign performing rights organizations for their members.

Music is a vital part of the total service businesses offer to customers.
ASCAP's licensees recognize that using music benefits their businesses because music, like other amenities or products, pays off in heightened customer satisfaction, increased profits, and improved employee morale and productivity. If you are using music now, or are thinking about using music in the future.

Tens of thousands of businesses find the ASCAP license the most convenient and economical way to gain access to the bulk of America's finest music.

ASCAP's customers include major television networks, local television and, radio stations, cable and satellite networks and systems, public broadcasters, internet web sites, colleges and universities, night clubs, taverns and restaurants, background music services, fitness and health clubs, private clubs, hotels, conventions and trade shows, concert presenters, dance halls, shopping centers and malls, theme and amusement parks, airlines, skating rinks, retail stores, and music users in a wide variety of other industries. There are over one hundred different ASCAP rate schedules covering almost all businesses that perform music. See the complete list of ASCAP license types on this website. The fees for similar businesses with the same type of usage are the same, but the fees vary among the different industries. For example, a local radio station will pay a lower fee than a television network; a neighborhood tavern pays much less than a Las Vegas Hotel.