Disqus - Latest Comments for jbailey

Re: AP, Please Dont Fall on Your Sword and Hurt Yourself The Way the NYT Did

jbailey — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:48:15 -0000

Pardon me, Dr. E --

For addressing you as Dr. Dre. I have rap music on my brain this morning.

Jerry

Re: AP, Please Dont Fall on Your Sword and Hurt Yourself The Way the NYT Did

jbailey — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:40:50 -0000

Dr. Dre --
I'm going to e-mail you privately a couple of articles from the NY Daily News from about five years ago which deal with the origin and history of BMI and ASCAP. To my knowledge, the articles are correct. The articles explain that BMI opened the doors to music that previously could not be played on radio. Before BMI, country music, Black music, Hispanic music and other grassroot forms of music were largely shut out of radio because the composers could not belong to the other performing right organization, and, therefore, the stations could not legally obtain permission to play the music. Dick Clark said it best: "Prior to BMI's founding, the music business was not readily accessible to newcomers. BMI opened the doors for the young, the black, the country, the non-traditional songwriter. It widened the opportunity for more creative people to participate in the art of music."

If you will send me your mailing address privately, I will also mail you a booklet titled "The Rise of BMI - 1940 -- 2008." I think you'll find it interesting.

Re: AP, Please Dont Fall on Your Sword and Hurt Yourself The Way the NYT Did

jbailey — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:52:53 -0000

Dear Dr. E
Thanks for the correction. I have sent you a message separately regarding your request. Although I have been with BMI for only 10 years, I began writing about BMI in 1972 as a newspaper reporter. I have read much of BMI's history over the years and never heard of BMI constraining music flow to radio stations. It would make absolutely no sense to me. After all, BMI was founded in 1939 by a group of radio stations to correct what was considered the unfair practices of ASCAP. Constraining music flow would only limit the revenue BMI could collect for songwriters and stifle the growth of the organization. I can imagine no motive for BMI to do such a thing, but I wasn't around in 1940, so I don't yet have an answer to that charge. I suspect you're confusing the actiivites of ASCAP with BMI.

Re: AP, Please Dont Fall on Your Sword and Hurt Yourself The Way the NYT Did

jbailey — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:49:00 -0000

BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc) is not a publishing company, is not owned by Bertelsmann, and did not buy Napster. Perhaps you're thinking of BMG or EMI. BMI does represent the performing rights of 375,000 songwriters and music publishers, who own 6.5 million musical works, but BMI does not own the music. As a spokesman for BMI, I can assure you that BMI does not see the internet and the flow of information as a threat. There are few companies in the world as savvy and as eager to embrace technology as BMI. With your opening sentence so far from truth, it's impossible to consider seriously the rest of your post.

Re: Pep bands pay to play songs

jbailey — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:18:16 -0000

Not exactly true, Postman. Most colleges and universities have blanket licensies with BMI authorizing most of the music performed on campus and at school sporting events, including college pep bands and college radio (but not commercial stations or NPR). An exception would be concerts offered on campus by outside concert promoters. A blanket license with BMI authorizes the public performances of 6.5 million works from 375,000 songwriters, composers and publishers, including John Williams. No other permission from BMI songwriter sor publisher is required for covered performances, but BMI cannot provide sheet music. Since I work for BMI, I know the drill. Hope this helps.