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| NEW YORK - Jan. 24, 2005 --Today, the American
Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers filed 24 separate copyright
infringement actions against nightclubs, bars, and restaurants in 15 states
and the District of Columbia. These establishments (listed below) have
publicly performed the copyrighted musical works of ASCAP's songwriter,
composer and music publisher members without receiving their permission
to do so, resulting in lost income.
"Informing business owners of their obligations under Federal Copyright Law is one of ASCAP's key roles," said Vincent Candilora, Senior Vice President of Licensing at ASCAP. "We provide any business using music the opportunity to receive permission through acceptance of a license covering the use of over 8 million copyrighted songs and compositions, and we make every effort to educate business owners concerning their music licensing responsibilities. If our good efforts are ignored, then our only recourse is legal action." During 2004, ASCAP achieved a 100% success rate with its copyright infringement litigation, with all concluded cases resulting in either a cash settlement or a judgment in favor of ASCAP members. This is significant as ASCAP represents over 200,000 member owners who, for the most part, are songwriters and composers who rely heavily on their ASCAP royalties, as well as ASCAP's enforcement efforts on their behalf. Over 86 cents of every dollar collected is distributed to its members, the music creators. According to Vince Abbatiello, ASCAP Vice President of Sales and Director of General Licensing, "When business owners ignore their obligations and violate Federal Copyright Law, they are actually stealing from the songwriters and composers who created the music compositions that those businesses are using. Individual songwriters and composers are the ultimate small business people, working on their own with limited opportunity for sustained success. We only take legal action when all other means of resolution have been exhausted. But when we litigate on behalf of our members, our success rate is always very high. Business owners who ignore the Copyright Law in the belief that they can escape penalty should treat this very seriously. Don't steal our members' music." Establishment, City and State:
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading Performing Rights Organization in the U.S., representing the world's largest music repertory. ASCAP is committed to protecting the rights of its members by licensing and collecting royalties for the public performance of their copyrighted works, and then distributing these fees to the Society's members based on performances. Unlike the other American Performing Rights Organizations, ASCAP's Board of Directors is made up solely of writers and publishers, elected by the membership every two years. Every year ASCAP provides over $3 million dollars in special awards to promising music creators whose works may be performed in venues that may not be actively surveyed. And the ASCAP Foundation, established in 1975 by ASCAP members, has the mission of nurturing new talent and promoting music education. It has assisted countless aspiring music creators in career development and fulfillment. |
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| Contact:
ASCAP
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| Also See: | AH&MA Finalizes Master Agreement with ASCAP / June 2000 |
| BMI Now Offering Fee Structure Based on the Actual Use of Music / Feb 1999 |