Six Is a Magic Number for BMI’s Digital Licensing Center
BMI’s Digital Licensing Center (DLC) is celebrating its sixth anniversary and is maturing at a rapid rate. With nearly 500 websites licensed through the service and 5,000 registered users, the DLC is the music industry’s first fully automated, end-to-end solution for securing a music performance license online. The license allows website to publicly perform all of BMI’s 6.5 million copyrighted works from its more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers.
The service was the first complete end-to-end solution launched by a major music industry organization. BMI launched the application in May of 2000, with version 2.0 debuting in 2004 with additional features. In 2006, nearly 200 additional users secured their performing rights license through the DLC.
“The DLC is a digital tool that has met its mandate to simplify music copyright licensing,” said Richard Conlon, BMI’s Vice President of New Media & Strategic Development. “Small websites need dedicated resources where they can license their properties and pay their public performance fees online. The DLC allows this and does so in a 24-hour-a-day environment. It has helped simplify the licensing process and helped BMI reduce costs associated to this licensing area.”
Through the DLC’s Klik-thru® system, Internet sites are able to execute BMI licenses immediately, eliminating the need for paper contracting. The DLC is a secure, 24-hour-a-day site that accepts license fee payments via credit card. Users can input music tracking data into the system, which is used for royalty payments. Initially servicing small websites generating less than $500 in annual revenues, the DLC licensing ceiling has been raised to $50,000 due to demand. BMI Music performance license fees are based on the revenues of the licensee and the fees generated are distributed as royalties to songwriters, composers and music publishers.
In addition to its new licensees, nearly 5,000 new media businesses have registered at the service to learn more about BMI’s copyright licensing solutions for webcasters. Some early users of the DLC included Get Smashed Radio Broadcasting, BNET, Inc., Boxorox.com, Planet Live, Inc., Alaska Direct and K2 Sports, Inc.
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