Fact Sheet

Low Power FM

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Fact Sheet

UPDATE: On December 18, 2010, Congressional champions joined with grassroots advocates and public interest groups — ranging from civil rights, environmental, arts, and religious organizations — to secure a pivotal victory in the effort to expand the diversity of views and voices on American radio. The Local Community Radio Act passed the House of Representatives and Senate, thanks to the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) and Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and John McCain (R-AZ). read more

ASCAP - BMI Consent Decrees

Friday, October 3, 2014

Fact Sheet

In the United States, royalties from the performance of musical compositions are collected and distributed by the Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) ASCAP, SESAC and BMI. Of these organizations—which distribute revenue to their songwriter and publisher members—ASCAP and BMI are governed by “consent decrees” originally issued by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) as a means to curb the anticompetitive tendencies of the publishing sector. read more

Traveling with Instruments

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Fact Sheet

Traveling by air with instruments is an important part of how many musicians make a living. Security clampdowns since 2001 have made traveling by air or across international borders with instruments more difficult, complicated, and frustrating, but recent regulatory changes may mean more consistent and predictable policies. The following are some guidelines and suggestions to get you and your instrument where you need to go.

The Right to Terminate: a Musicians’ Guide to Copyright Reversion

A "second bite at the apple" for musicians and songwriters

FMC and Adam Holofcener

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Fact Sheet

The Right to Terminate: a Musicians’ Guide to Copyright Reversion[i]

Unlike most countries, the United States copyright law provides musicians and songwriters an opportunity to regain ownership of works that they transferred to outside entities, such as record labels and music publishers. Congress established this “second bite at the apple” for authors of creative works after a period of 35 years. “Termination of transfer” is not automatic, however, and there are certain steps creators must take to regain the rights to their works. This guide aims to shed more light on the process for the benefit of musicians and songwriters who are eligible to reclaim ownership of their creations. read more

PROTECT-IP Fact Sheet

Monday, June 27, 2011

Fact Sheet

The “Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act” (PROTECT IP) is a bill currently introduced in the Senate [PDF]. It creates more opportunities for the government and interested individuals to police websites engaged in activities that infringe intellectual property (IP) rights.

AT&T + T-Mobile Merger

Briefs describe how the proposed merger would negatively impact musicians and other creative entrepreneurs

Future of Music Coalition + Center for Media Justice

Monday, June 20, 2011

Fact Sheet

The Center for Media Justice (CMJ) — a grassroots media policy organization working to strengthen movements for racial justice, economic equity, and human rights — has teamed up with FMC — a national non-profit research, education and advocacy organization for musicians — to issue a pair of informational briefs regarding the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile.

AT&T is currently seeking government approval to buy T-Mobile, which would give one company nearly half of the wireless market in the United States. The briefs describe the negative impact the merger would have on innovation, creativity and speech, while providing creative communities a way to better understand and engage on the issue. read more

HD Radio

Friday, April 25, 2008

Fact Sheet

Terrestrial radio is currently undergoing a major transformation. Using a technology called In Band, On-Channel (or IBOC), thousands of broadcasters are transmitting analog signals simultaneously with higher quality digital signals on their existing spectrum. For broadcasters, the transition to HD radio could mean the development of new revenue streams, either through the creation of entire new stations on these side channels, or through the leasing of their digital spectrum for data services. For musicians and listeners, HD radio holds the promise of a wider choice of programming. But will it mean better radio?

HD Radio is a technology that claims to deliver interference-free, near CD-quality sound to radio listeners. But will it mean better radio?

Orphan Works

Monday, February 6, 2012

Fact Sheet

Orphan works are copyrighted works whose owners are hard or impossible to identify or locate. Orphan works probably comprise the majority of the creative works of 20th century. They exist in a purgatory of sorts, not able to be used in new creative efforts or made available to the public due to uncertainty over the status of their ownership.

Orphan works are copyrighted works whose owners are hard or impossible to identify or locate. read more

Touring Internationally

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Fact Sheet

Security clampdowns since 2001 have made it much more difficult, complicated and frustrating for artists or bands to perform in other countries. Here are some guidelines about work permits and the visa process to get you and your instrument where you need to go.

Contents: read more

Public Performance Right for Sound Recordings

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Fact Sheet

In the United States, royalties for public performances are paid to songwriters, composers and publishers. But what about the person who performs the song?

Consider this. When you hear Counting Crows’ recording of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ on the radio in the US, Joni Mitchell – the composer of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ – is compensated through BMI. But Counting Crows receive nothing for this performance.

However, if you hear the same performance on Sirius XM, or via a webcast, or on a cable music station – even on that terrestrial radio station’s webcast — both Joni Mitchell AND Counting Crows are compensated.

Why the difference? US terrestrial broadcasters are exempt from paying a public performance right for sound recordings. read more

Low Power FM

ASCAP - BMI Consent Decrees

Traveling with Instruments

The Right to Terminate: a Musicians’ Guide to Copyright Reversion

PROTECT-IP Fact Sheet

AT&T + T-Mobile Merger

HD Radio

Orphan Works

Touring Internationally

Public Performance Right for Sound Recordings

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