Department of Justice
Songwriter groups have already begun to fight the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) final ruling issued yesterday that mandates 100% music licensing by both ASCAP and BMI and says the new system must start within one year. BMI immediately filed a federal lawsuit to overturn the DOJ ruling while ASCAP, NSAI and others will seek a legislative remedy from Congress. LEARN MORE
NSAI President Lee Miller has termed the ruling both “damaging” and “ludicrous”, promising “a relentless fight”. “Now that the ruling is final, we can act,” he said. Miller has announced a meeting of the NSAI Board of Directors next Monday with U.S. Congressman and House Judiciary Committee member Doug Collins (GA). “We’ve been preparing for this ruling for a while and have numerous meetings with Congressional offices next week and beyond,” Miller noted. LEARN MORE
ASCAP President Paul Williams reminds songwriters that the processes underway in both the courts and Congress will be long and asks songwriters to “stay with us”.
NSAI has been asked by countless songwriters “what can I do”? “The hardest part right now is the waiting on courts and Congress,” said NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. “There are processes and strategy as we move forward. We all know this is a fight for our lives. Songwriters will be asked to mobilized, and in the meantime we encourage you to be informed and get prepared to respond to Congress when the time comes. This means you, your relatives and friends across the United States. Explain to them what has happened and be ready to email, write, call and speak out. ”
SONY Records and the Copyright Royalty Board
There is a more immediate fight with SONY record company over streaming rates in a Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) proceeding that IS SEPARATE from the DOJ debacle. We will be contacting you within days with a plan of action if SONY records keeps pursuing a pay decrease for songwriters before the CRB. TENNESSEAN ARTICLE | NSAI ARTICLE
News
No