In 2002, FMC released the results of an online survey to gauge the level of health insurance among working musicians. The survey found that, of the nearly 2,700 respondents, 44 percent of them did not have health insurance. This report — Health Insurance and Musicians — details the results of the survey, discusses the grave consequences of having so many creators uninsured in America and articulates FMC’s plan to tackle the issue on behalf of musicians.read more
Hello again. It’s hard to believe how much we’ve tackled
in the five weeks that have passed since the last newsletter; from participating
in the webcasting debate, to moving forward on our health insurance study,
to filing comments with the FCC. Chalk it up to persistence, concern,
and more hours of daylight. Now, shortly before this newsletter’s release,
we get word from the US Copyright Office that the Librarian of Congress
has rejected the CARP proposals regarding webcasting rates and reporting
requirements. While the Office’s announcement did not include any particular
reasons for the rejection, we assume that the collective effort made by
webcasters, artists, and citizen groups to include their voices in the
debate has had an effect on the process.
Who can believe it’s almost summer again in Washington, DC? The "budding"
music-tech activism and "full-flower" of legislative comment
requests are so prevalent right now they are giving the cherry blossoms
a run for their money. Actually, we wouldn’t know about the status of
the cherry blossoms; we’ve been watching the changing season through the dusty windows of our
laptops. Hey, it may not be as breathtaking as a dogwood tree in full
bloom but changes like the ones we’ve been watching are always beautiful.
Check out the newest success stories.
We would first like to express our condolences over the recent passing
of Billboard magazine editor Timothy White. Tim’s passing on June 27 was
a devastating loss to the musicians’ community. Tim had shown incredible
courage in world of publishing by keeping a watchful eye on an industry
that ultimately supported the magazine’s livelihood. He will be sorely missed.
Summer’s here and the time is right… for consolidating the major music/tech
companies (Mp3.com, Myplay, and Emusic) securely in the hands of the same
corporations they used to compete with.
Here at FMC we can’t help but wonder how this benefits musicians or consumers?
But first, let’s get down to business.