Music Licensing: A Practical Guide: For Broadcasters and Other Music Licensees

by Janet E. McHugh

Overview

The world of music licensing can be complex and confusing. Whether you produce TV programs, own a radio station, stream content over the internet or own a bar, you probably use music. That music was composed and recorded by a music creator who has rights under the U.S. copyright laws

and likely needs to be paid music royalties.

This Guide takes you step-by-step through the process of music licensing from the perspective of a music user - whether broadcaster, producer, venue owner, or streamer.

Who controls music rights? How is music licensed? How are fees paid by music users to music creators determined and calculated? How do you license public performance rights? And what is a Performance Rights Organization?

Few people in the United States understand music licensing as thoroughly as Janet McHugh. In this Guide, she takes a step-by-step approach, unraveling the complicated legal jargon and laws with straight-forward explanations. Along the way, she identifies the key players and processes in

the music licensing business.

The Guide is designed for a broad audience - from lawyers who deal with music licensing daily to business managers who encounter it only occasionally. No matter what music licensing issues you face, McHugh will demystify music licensing, answer frequently asked questions and explain

why and how you pay for the music you use.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781737770817
Publisher:	Television Music License Committee, LLC
Publication date:	09/16/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Janet E. McHugh is a seasoned corporate executive and attorney with experience in the energy, finance, and broadcast industries. She has been President and CEO of the Television Music License Committee (TVMLC) for five years. Prior to TVMLC, she was an attorney with Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. where she handled and managed operational legal matters including the negotiation of commercial contracts, insurance, real estate, and music licensing. Prior to Sinclair, Janet served as Deputy General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Constellation Energy Group, Inc., now Exelon Corp. Janet is a graduate of Clemson University and Duke University School of Law. As a public service, Janet chairs the Maryland State Ethics Commission by appointment of Governor Larry Hogan. Janet is married and has two children: a son who graduated from Duke University and is a student at NYU Law and a daughter who is a graduate of Clemson University and is a TV multi-platform producer with the "Evening" team at King5 in Seattle.

Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Section 1 An Introduction to Copyright Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Section 2 Digging Deeper:

Music Licensing and the Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Section 3 The Music Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Section 4 Licensing Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Section 5 The Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Section 6 Musical Works:

Public Performance Rights-General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Section 7 Musical Works:

Public Performance Rights-Broadcast Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Section 8 Musical Works: Public Performance

Rights-Broadcast TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Section 9 PRO Market Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Section 10 Sound Recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Section 11 Reproduction and Distribution Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Section 12 Synchronization Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Section 13 Judicial and Legislative History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Section 14 The Consent Decrees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Section 15 Fair Use and Related Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Section 16 "Hot" Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Section 17 The Future: Creation of a Public,

Universal Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Afterword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Additional reading - Fair Use - Section 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137