Re: Music piped to gas pumps

[Shawn Mamros <mamros@MIT.EDU>]

>Tossing this out there  -  Any numbers $$$ as to the annual licensing
>cost(s) to stations you've worked at?  Curious as to the ballpark.  What is
>the basis of the rate set?  Is it market size? ADI?

Well, I can give some fairly accurate numbers for a relatively flea-powered,
non-profit, non-commercial FM station in a major metropolitan market... :-)

BMI - $31.25/month this year == $375/year
ASCAP - somewhere in the $200-300/year range
SESAC - roughly $75/year

I have no idea how they arrive at those dollar figures.  Certainly it isn't
based on our revenue or our budget - they've never asked for those figures...

Since I've actually known people who write music for a living (and believe
me, not all songwriters are millionaires), and have seen second-hand how
the recording industry works (or doesn't), I don't begrudge the composers'
licensing fees one bit.

- -Shawn Mamros
Comptroller, WMBR 88.1FM Cambridge
E-mail to: mamros@mit.edu

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