Broadcast Music, Inc. collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it distributes as royalties to songwriters, composers & music publishers.
Archives
Click here to view more news items
Click here to browse the BMI photo archive
Browse Archive by Year
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Recent Legal News
BMI Cheers Supreme Court Ruling on Grokster
The following is a statement by BMI President and CEO Del Bryant regarding the Supreme Court decision in MGM vs. Grokster: "The Supreme Court's unanimous decision today is good news indeed for the creative community whose work has been blatantly infringed by illegal file-sharing networks. BMI, acting on behalf of its more than 300,000 songwriters, composers, and copyright holders, had urged the Court in an amicus brief…
From News, posted 6.26.05
AIMP Honors Frances Preston With Indie Award
BMI President Emeritus Frances Preston was honored on November 30 by the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) during the New York Chapter's annual holiday party. Preston received the organization's Indie Award in recognition of her dedication and service to music publishers and copyright holders at a gala reception held at the exclusive Princeton Club in New York City.
From News, posted 12.02.04
Cecil Walker Elected Chairman of BMI Board
Cecil L. Walker of Atlanta, GA, the former President & CEO of Gannett Broadcasting, has been elected Chairman of the BMI Board of Directors, it was announced today. He joined the board in 1998 and previously served as Vice Chairman. Recently named BMI President & CEO Del R. Bryant was elected to his first four-year term on the board. Re-elected to the…
From News, posted 10.17.04
Tips to Help Restaurants and Bars Save Money on Music Licensing
Restaurants and bars that depend on music to entertain customers can save money on music licensing fees by following simple tips provided by BMI, a non-profit-making company representing 300,000 songwriters and music publishers. BMI grants businesses legal permission in the form of a music license to play copyrighted music. While the daily cost of a BMI license is about the same as a soft drink at most restaurants, the…
From News, posted 9.07.04
BMI Foundation Founder Theodora Zavin Dies at 82
BMI and the BMI Foundation mourn the passing of Theodora Zavin, one of the music industry's most respected copyright attorneys, who served as a senior executive at BMI. Zavin died Monday (June 21) at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital after a brief illness. She was 82. Zavin served at BMI for 49 years, joining the company in 1952 as head of its legal department,…
From News, posted 6.21.04
BMI Helping Artists Recover Unclaimed Royalties
In a press conference held on May 4, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer announced that a deal had been reached with top record companies to return nearly $50 million in unclaimed royalties to thousands of artists and performers. The settlement is the result of a two-year investigation by Spitzer's office that found many artists and writers were not being paid by these companies because…
From News, posted 5.04.04
‘Free’ Music May Have Strings Attached
The proprietors of many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and retail shops often accept "free" or "promotional" CDs from record companies and artists who hope to find a wider audience for their music among customers of the establishment. Problems can arise when business owners discover they may not have the permission of songwriters to play the music in public. Those CDs and tapes rarely come with information about who wrote and…
From News, posted 4.26.04
National Music Council Issues a ‘Call to Action’
Dr. David Sanders, Director of the National Music Council (NMC), has issued a "Call to Action" to the NMC's constituency over the threat presented by illegal file-sharing on the Internet. The full text of his appeal appears below: A CALL TO ACTION FROM THE NATIONAL MUSIC COUNCIL Through its membership in the National Music Council, BMI is linked to the American music community at large. With…
From News, posted 2.25.04
AIMP Presents Power Players Panel
The Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) presented a panel on September 25 entitled "Playing The Studio Music Game: The Power Players You Need To Know " at the Bel Age Hotel. Topics discussed included the impact of technology, globalization, corporate mergers, creative initiatives, new business models and the opportunities and risks that we face in the years ahead (including those…
From News, posted 10.08.03
FastTrack Board Names BMI’s Preston As Chair; Sacem’s Miyet As Vice-Chair
The FastTrack Supervisory Board, meeting in Copenhagen last week, has named BMI's (USA) President and CEO Frances W. Preston, as its new Chairperson, succeeding outgoing Chair Professor Mauro Masi of Italy's SIAE. SACEM's (France) Chief Executive, Bernard Miyet, was named Vice-Chair and succeeds Preston in this post. "I am honored to serve as FastTrack's Chair as we enter into a new era in the organization's development," said Preston. "The…
From News, posted 10.06.03
BMI and Radio Industry Reach $1 Billion Agreement
The Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) and Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) announced today that agreement had been reached on new commercial radio station blanket and per program licenses for the musical works in BMI's repertoire. The agreement settles a rate proceeding commenced in 1999 by the RMLC in the Federal District Court in New York. The agreement covers the 10-year period from 1997 through 2006. Details of the agreements…
From News, posted 7.30.03
New Disc Reaffirms Nirvana’s Place in Rock’s Pantheon
The success of the recently released Nirvana compilation, simply titled Nirvana, is merely the latest manifestation of the seminal trio's ongoing influence. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994 simultaneously ended the group's existence and elevated Cobain and the band to mythical status. But, as the new disc demonstrates, Nirvana's posthumous mystique hasn't overshadowed the quality of the band's musical output The new collection, which features the previously…
From MusicWorld, posted 1.14.03
Nashville Grammy Showcase Spotlights Finalists on November 21
Seven unsigned Nashville acts have been selected to compete on November 21 at the 2nd Annual Nashville Grammy Showcase, hosted by the Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy®. Chosen by top music industry professionals from over 500 entries, finalists Marcus Cole, Alana Grace, Sony Holland, Ide, Matt Jenkins, Kim's Fable and Sweet-T will compete for extensive prizes including an artist development package and a performance slot at the…
From News, posted 11.13.02
PGA
The Producer’s Guild of America (PGA) recently held a seminar, “Negotiating Your Music For Film, TV and New Media,” with BMI’s Vice President of Film & Television Relations, Doreen Ringer Ross, moderating the morning panel held at the CBS Television Studios. The seminar included networking opportunities and discussions covering details and deal points involved with getting your music into a project. The panel also conducted “mock” negotiations between composer, agent,…
From News, posted 10.23.02
Businesses Using Copyrighted Music Sometimes Get Befuddled by Myth
While songwriting may not be the world’s oldest profession, it could well be the most misunderstood. Many business owners who play music in their establishments are introduced to the songwriting profession when they receive their first letter or phone call from one of America’s performing rights organizations, such as BMI. Most people never give a thought to how songwriters earn a living until they operate a business that plays music…
From News, posted 9.30.02
Linkin Park: On the Cutting Edge
Linkin Park is at the cutting edge of a new breed of bands mixing modern musical sounds, drawing their style from hard rock, hip-hop, hardcore punk and industrial music. But as much as the band's music is marked by stylistic diversity, at its heart one finds a song sensibility that sets the Los Angeles-based group apart from other rap-rock acts. It's part of what has propelled the…
From MusicWorld, posted 4.30.02
Copyright Awareness Week
BMI's Gary Roth, Assistant Vice President of Legal & Business Affairs (left), presents a Copyright Awareness Week poster to Bernice Fleischer, Music Department Chairperson at New York's LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Roth is the incoming Treasurer of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A., the non-profit educational organization that sponsors Copyright Awareness Week (April 22-28,…
From News, posted 4.25.02
BMI Sponsors Future of Music Conference
BMI was a sponsor of the Future of Music Conference, presented by the Future of Music Coalition on January 7-8 at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. The conference, which is the Coalition's annual policy summit, featured BMI's Richard Conlon and David Sanjek as panelists and keynote addresses by Representative Rick Boucher, California State Senator Kevin Murray, Representative John…
From News, posted 2.04.02
Ralph N. Jackson Elected President of BMI Foundation
BMI has announced that Ralph N. Jackson has been elected President of the BMI Foundation, Inc. He succeeds Theodora Zavin, who has been named President Emeritus of the Foundation effective November 1, 2001. The BMI Foundation, Inc., a non-profit corporation founded by Zavin in 1985, is dedicated to encouraging the creation, performance and…
From News, posted 1.27.02
Austin Turns Out For BMI’s ‘Your Band As a Business’ Forum
An SRO crowd of more than 400 musicians, band managers, producers, songwriters and publishing company representatives attended BMI's "Your Band As a Business" Forum 2001, held December 3 at Antone's in Austin. Tips on touring, production, publishing, performing rights, manufacturing, packaging, promotion and legal issues were shared during a lively Q&A session between attendees and industry pro panelists including Mark Mason of BMI Nashville; Kevin Connor, local radio…
From News, posted 12.10.01
Terms of use |
Privacy policy |
Songwriter101 |
RSS |
Copyright 1994-2009, Broadcast Music, Inc. unless otherwise specified.
BMI®, BMI.com® and Broadcast Music, Inc.® are registered trademarks of Broadcast Music, Inc.
BMI®, BMI.com® and Broadcast Music, Inc.® are registered trademarks of Broadcast Music, Inc.