In August, FMC’s Kristin Thomson had a chat with Neeta Ragoowansi,
membership director for SoundExchange, the agency that collects and
distributes the digital public performance royalty. We talked about
the basics of how SoundExchange works and its growth over the past
four years, and why it’s important for bands, labels and performers
to become members of SoundExchange. Don’t know much about
SoundExchange? Read on to see how it could apply to you.read more
Five prominent organizations representing recording artists and musicians filed reply comments [PDF] at the Federal Communications Commission in the proceeding examining the upcoming transition from analog to digital audio broadcasting (DAB) (MM Docket 99-325). In their joint filing, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), American Federation of Musicians (AFM), the Future of
Music Coalition (FMC), The Recording Academy®, and the Recording Artists’ Coalition (RAC) expressed broad support for and excitement about the opportunities that digital audio broadcasting presents to citizens and recording artists. read more
Things never seem to slow down at the FMC.
With the media deregulation issues still on the front burners, we’ve been
submitting testimony, preparing documents and participating in a variety
of events, including the FCC hearing in Richmond, VA, the upcoming hearing
in Seattle and events at South by Southwest. There are lots of details
about the importance of these efforts to musicians and citizens below,
so read on!
A “Joint Statement on Current Issues in Radio” was delivered to the Federal
Communications Commission and Congressional leaders by four organizations
instrumental in the development of the statement: the American Federation
of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA); American Federation of Musicians
(AFM); the Future of Music Coalition (FMC); and Recording Academy (NARAS).
The “Joint Statement on Current Issues in Radio” was also signed
by six other groups: Association for Independent Music (AFIM); Just Plain
Folks; Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI); National
Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM); National Federation of
Community Broadcasters (NFCB); and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). read more
The Future of Music Coalition shares the contemplative spirit of this
holiday season and hopes that this period of reflection will inspire 2002
to be year of regrouping, education and collaboration between the legal,
artistic, academic, technical, and business communities.
As for a recap of last years highlights, even in the midst of economic
downturn and strife within the artistic, technology and business communities,
FMC managed several significant achievements for an organization that
was under-funded and barely a year old.