The PCAM Committee believes that PCAM members will be interested in the announcement below from the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) and the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP), and may wish to sign their petition here.
ECSA and ICMP are calling on big tech companies to pay composers, songwriters and publishers a fair mechanical rate for their work.
We, the representatives of authors, composers and music publishers, are following proceedings at the US Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which will determine the royalty rates that digital streaming services will pay over the next five years. The outcome of these proceedings will not only impact the US music sector; the entire industry will also be affected.
The CRB is hearing proposals from big tech companies like Google and Amazon, while the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) and the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) are representing the music industry.
At a time when the EU is looking at establishing a fair licensing environment for rightsholders, we salute our colleagues at the NMPA and NSAI and call on the CRB to adopt a structure that recognises the true value of composers’ and songwriters’ works. As a result of advances in technology, there is more music on offer than ever before, but the tech companies want to lower the price they pay for this music.
Meanwhile, composers, songwriters and publishers are being forced to fight for royalty rates through a taxing and expensive CRB trial. The tech companies have for years shown disrespect for the value of music and with that the livelihoods of the composers and songwriters. If they don’t stop, composers and songwriters will soon be unable to continue creating the music that enriches the lives of millions across the world.
Make your voice heard by asking the tech companies to pay us a fair price for our works. It’s a simple ask, and it’s in your interests to do so.
Thank you.
Sign the petition here: https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/songwriters-to-big-tech-stop-fighting-us-in-crb.html
About ECSA
ECSA is a professional alliance formed by over 50 associations of composers and songwriters from all over Europe. The main objective of the alliance is to defend and promote the rights of authors of music at the national, European and international level by any legal means. ECSA advocates for equitable commercial conditions for composers and songwriters and strives to improve social and economic development of music creation in Europe. PCAM is an Associate Member of ECSA.
About ICMP
ICMP is the world trade association representing the interests of the music publishing community internationally. The constituent members of ICMP are music publishers’ associations from Europe, Middle East, North and South America, Africa and Asia-Pacific. Included are the leading independent multinational and international companies and regional and national music publishers, mainly SMEs, throughout the world.
As the voice and point of reference for music publishers, and for the community of composers and songwriters, ICMP’s mission is to increase copyright protection internationally, encourage a better environment for our business and act as an industry forum for consolidating global positions.