A Question About PRO Splits

[PeteJ]

For a licensed library-track signed to a publisher…

…suppose that the library takes the full publishing share and the artist share is sent to them via their PRO. Would the PRO then treat this as gross income and split it between artist/publisher as per usual, or would the PRO know it is notionally the artist share and send it all to the artist?

I’d assume that the former is what would happen, but just want to check. Thanks.

[Art Munson]

and the artist share is sent to them via their PRO.

Not sure what you are getting at here. If you mean the writer’s share that would go directly to you, not the publisher.

[PeteJ]

Hi Art

I presume that the writer’s share would be collected by the PRO, and I’m wondering if this is then split again by the PRO or paid in full to the artist. Where there is a publisher registered with the PRO I would imagine they split it, but it occurred to me that maybe the PRO will know when what they receive is supposed to be 100% the artist’s share and do not pay the publisher split in this case. See what I mean?

[Art Munson]

I’m wondering if this is then split again by the PRO or paid in full to the artist.

The artist is not in the equation if he/she is not a writer. A PRO only collects performance monies for the writer and publisher. The PRO pays 50% of the performance money collected to the writer and 50% to the publisher. I’m not sure why you are interjecting the artist in this.

[PeteJ]

Drat. I meant composer, not artist.

I know the PRO will do the split, but do they do the same split for all income, or do they recognise where they are receiving the composer share and pay 100% to the composer?

I imagine the PRO treats all income as the same and splits it all in the same way, but I’m just checking.

[PeteJ]

Nobody?

[Art Munson]

I imagine the PRO treats all income as the same and splits it all in the same way, but I’m just checking.

All PRO monies are split, regardless of where it comes from, based on how the writer and publisher percentage is registered with your PRO. If you are still confused you should contact your PRO.

[Danny Truitt]

I’m not sure this addresses your questions, but PROs collect money (royalties) on the works owned by their members (publishers and writers/composers). They differ in their methods of monitoring and collecting royalties, and there are some rather intricate schemes internally as to how some distributions are made, but basically, they will consolidate all income for a work, from all sources, and distribute it equally–50% to the publisher(s) of the work and 50% to the writer(s)/composer(s) of the work. In the songwriting business, if I have a song that earns $1,000 in royalties for a distribution period, I will receive $500 as the writer of the song and the publisher will receive $500 as their share. I hope this is helpful.

[Danny Truitt]

Wow! Haven’t seen that before! Art and I posted at exactly the same time! Not trying to “up” you, Art – I guess I was just typing at the same time you were!

[Art Munson]

Wow! Haven’t seen that before!

🙂

[PeteJ]

Many thanks, Danny and Art, this exactly answers the question. Sorry it was a muddled one.

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