Discovery going way of Scripps?

[jdt9517]

Alexander Baker is the one who is speaking, above. As a lawyer, I have a lot of skepticism about making a civil rights case stick against the PRO’s. Also, you may want to do some internet research about Mr. Baker. I’ll leave it at that.
There have been long standing consent decrees against both ASCAP and BMI. https://www.justice.gov/atr/antitrust-consent-decree-review-ascap-and-bmi-2019. Wonder if this is an issue that should be taken up with DOJ. It may be of interest to law enforcement.

[KevinG]

It would seem that any library offering gratis deals could end up losing as much money as composers

Agreed. I think the gratis upfront for backend royalty models stand to lose a lot money. I think the biggest threat is Swedish company ES. They pay a few hundred dollars upfront for the buyout of tracks and offer royalty free blanket deals to broadcasters and have moved to the U.S. This sounds great at first, to make some upfront money for a track that may or may not place, but if this becomes the norm I would imagine the upfront fees will get smaller and smaller in an effort by companies like this to save money. We as composers/producers should do everything we can to get laws passed that make it illegal for broadcasters and streaming services to bypass P.R.O. payments.

[Mc_GTR]

I don’t get angry, and just talk with my feet. “Deals” like that have no intrest to me, and I dont sign away music to libraries that does blanket deals either. I think this case reveals how scummy this business is, so if anything, Ive become more alert about what I submit and to whom I submit. But Im an amateur who can cherry pick as I like. I feel for you pro’s who are caught up with companies like these.

[Jazzy5]

Just picking up on the end of this.

So am I right in saying this all went through and they didn’t back track? So anythung to do with Discovery placements no longer pays any back end royalties? But they have decided to continue to pay royalties for music already synced within shows?

Thanks.

[Advice]

I don’t get angry, and just talk with my feet. “Deals” like that have no intrest to me, and I dont sign away music to libraries that does blanket deals either.

Just to clarify… There are libraries that do blankets which are VERY common but don’t do the Scripps type deals or if they do they at least share a portion of the blanket fees they collect with the writers. In general, it’s not BLANKETS that are bad, it’s what types of deals the library make and how the library handles them. But I agree we need to be careful what we sign. SK, for example, does tons of Scripps placements and often the writers never make a penny on any of the placements.

[Mark_Petrie]

Maybe it’s a bit too aggressive, but perhaps there could be a link on the right side of MLR – of all libraries that engage in direct licensing with TV networks. Just a list – not a debate about whether libraries should do it or not. Would be illuminating – I think the list would be a lot longer than many composers would imagine… Just about any music you hear on Scripps shows (that’s half a dozen channels right there), CNN, Fox News, ESPN involve direct licensing.

[Mark_Petrie]

(adding a new paragraph because my posts end up in approval limbo if I make too many additions!)

My guess is that the list would be a who’s who of libraries – essentially most (if not all) of the top ‘PMA’ libraries.

[Spiker]

I received this email today from PMA:
Dear Creative Community,
Some very good news. We have been informed today by Discovery Networks that in regard to performance rights, Discovery has decided that their US channels will remain operating as is under the traditional PRO performing rights model. The PMA would like to personally thank Shawn White and everyone at Discovery for this decision. We greatly appreciate this and look forward as a community to working together with Discovery to provide their programming with the best quality music possible.programming with the best quality music possible.

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