What is a Performance Rights Organization?
A Performing Rights Organization (PRO) represents music composers and publishers by licensing and collecting royalties from businesses that publicly perform their music (e.g., broadcasting or playing music in commercial settings). In the U.S., the primary PROs are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, which track music usage and distribute royalties to composers, songwriters, and music publishers.
A songwriter or composer can only be a member of one PRO at a time, but music publishers can affiliate with one or serveral PROs.
The process follows this structure:
1
A broadcaster obtains a PRO license.
2
The broadcaster plays music and pays the PRO.
3
The PRO distributes royalties to composers and publishers.
The TV Music License Committee negotiates with three of the largest PROs in the U.S. – ASCAP, BMI and SESAC; and works with new PROs when necessary.
ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
About ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadcasters, and digital streaming services. ASCAP collects licensing fees from users of music created by ASCAP members, then distributes them back to its members as royalties.
ASCAP license is confidential, contact TVMLC or ASCAP for a copy.
License Terms: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027
The TVMLC and ASCAP negotiated final blanket, alternative blanket, and per program licenses for the period January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027 (as well as those covering the interim period going back to the expiration of the last license agreements on June 30, 2024).
The annual industry-wide blanket license fees were reduced from their prior levels. The specific economic terms of the licenses are subject to a confidentiality provision and are set forth in the ASCAP licenses, which each station should have received.
The ASCAP licenses cover, on a through-to-the-viewer basis, performances of ASCAP music in programming that is broadcast by local television stations (including on digital multicast channels), streamed on station-affiliated websites, or delivered as part of programming supplied by stations via mobile, wireless, and other digital platforms.
Industry-wide license fees are allocated to stations each calendar year based on a formula that accounts for market size, audience size, and the number of stations in each market.
BMI
Broadcast Music, Inc.
About BMI
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 22.4 million musical works. On a quarterly basis, BMI distributes the money to songwriters, composers, and music publishers as royalties.
BMI Licenses Coming Soon…..
BMI Contact Information:
CustomerRelations@bmi.com
(800) 206-7671
Current License Terms: January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027
The TVMLC and BMI have reached an agreement in principle on final blanket, "adjustable-fee" blanket (AFBL), and per program licenses for the period January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027 (as well as those covering the interim period going back to the expiration of the last license agreements on June 30, 2024).
The annual industry-wide blanket license fee for the January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027 period is $65,750,000. The industry-wide fee for the interim period (July 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024) remains at $62,500,000.
In addition to the traditional blanket and per program license options, stations are able to utilize an AFBL. Under the AFBL, stations receive a fee credit for each performance of BMI music that has been licensed directly from the copyright owner or from the program producer. Like the per program license, the AFBL has more reporting requirements than the traditional fixed-fee blanket license.
The BMI licenses cover, on a through-to-the-viewer basis, performances of BMI music in programming that is broadcast by local television stations (including on digital multicast channels), streamed on station-affiliated websites, or delivered as part of programming supplied by stations via mobile, wireless, and other digital platforms.
BMI industry-wide blanket license fees are allocated to stations each calendar year based on a formula that accounts for market size, audience size, and the number of stations in each market.
SESAC
Society of European Stage Authors and Composers
About SESAC
SESAC is a for-profit performance-rights organization in the United States. Founded in 1930 as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, it is the second-oldest performance-rights organization in the United States. SESAC has 30,000 songwriters and more than 1 million compositions in its catalog.
Current License Terms: January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2027
The TVMLC and SESAC have concluded negotiations over final license fees and terms for the period January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2027. The industry-wide blanket license fees are as follows:
2024: $39,200,000 (+ $300,000 per program station administrative fee)
2025: $39,800,000 (+ $300,000 per program station administrative fee)
2026: $40,400,000 (+ $300,000 per program station administrative fee)
2027: $41,000,000 (+ $300,000 per program station administrative fee)
Note: The administrative fee only applies to stations taking the per program license.
The SESAC licenses cover, on a through-to-the-viewer basis, performances of SESAC music in programming that is broadcast by local television stations (including on digital multicast channels), streamed on station-affiliated websites, or delivered as part of programming supplied by stations via mobile, wireless, and other digital platforms.
Industry-wide license fees are allocated to stations each calendar year based on a formula that accounts for market size, audience size, and the number of stations in each market.
GMR
Global Music Rights
About GMR
Global Music Rights (GMR) is a fourth U.S. PRO representing composers and music publishers, some of which have music that is embodied in local TV programming and advertisements.
GMR Contact Information:
(844)827-5467 or Contact Form
TVMLC’s Current Status with GMR
Global Music Rights (GMR) is a fourth U.S. PRO representing composers and music publishers, some of which have music that is embodied in local TV programming and advertisements.
Unlike ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, there is no TVMLC-negotiated, industry-wide license with GMR.
Thus far, GMR has been unwilling to negotiate an industry-wide license with the Committee. The TVMLC, however, did act as an intermediary on behalf of several hundred unlicensed local TV stations in discussions with GMR, resulting in a three-year form license that GMR has made available to these stations. Each station should decide whether to enter into the proposed license or negotiate its own license with GMR.
While the TVMLC did negotiate the terms and scope of the form license, the license fees were determined by GMR.
The proposed license agreement covers the use of GMR music:
On broadcast TV
On station’s multicast channels
Streamed on station websites
In programming provided by local stations to third-party platforms (excluding X (formerly Twitter))
Any station broadcasting programming or advertisements that contain GMR music should obtain a GMR license to ensure compliance with copyright laws.