ASCAP Sues 29 Venues

Afm.org’s International Musician (members only):

The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) has filed lawsuits against 29 establishments in 22 states, citing copyright infringement. The establishments in question—all bars, nightclubs, and restaurants where live music is performed—are charged with allowing public performances of copyrighted songs without a license.

ASCAP says that it reached out to each of the establishments, asking them to obtain licenses, but licenses were never requested and the music continued to be played. Says Vice President of Licensing for ASCAP Vincent Candilora, “ASCAP is aiming to heighten awareness among music users and the public that it is a federal offense to perform copyrighted music without permission. We not only have the right to collect license fees from the users of music, but we also have a responsibility to our members to ensure that they are adequately compensated for their hard work.”

Nearly 90% of the license fees ASCAP collects on behalf of artists and publishers are paid as royalties directly to its members. The remainder covers the operating costs of the organization.