Television Per Program Licensing

The Local television industry licenses music performance rights from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC to the tune of about $210,000,000 per year.

The W. G. Slantz Company has long reigned as one of the most efficient administrators of local television Per Program licenses, having served the television industry since 1996.

Performing rights societies, such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, license music users in the United States on behalf of their respective publisher and composer members.  Such users customarily include radio and television broadcasters, cable systems and programming services, music subscription services, web casters, bars, restaurants, retail businesses, and countless others who publicly perform music.  Together, the performing rights societies collect well over $1 Billion in licensing income annually from these music users.

Local television stations comprise one of the largest sectors of music users licensed by the performing rights societies.  When being licensed by ASCAP or BMI, such stations generally must choose between either a “blanket” or a “Per Program” license.  The former aims to provide blanket protection against copyright infringement claims and allows a station to use unlimited amounts of music in the applicable society’s repertory.  The blanket license tends to be relatively easy to administer, with fixed monthly license fees and limited reporting responsibilities imposed on the individual stations. 

The Per Program license is intended to allow stations to more economically manage their music use and pay fees that more accurately represent their actual music use.  However, this better price comes at a price.  The Per Program license, while also providing certain protection against infringement claims, carries with it more stringent obligations on the part of the licensee.  For example, stations are generally required to track, research and report all of their music use data.  Varying monthly license fees are calculated based upon the data provided by the stations to the societies, and the societies maintain their right to challenge the accuracy of the data provided to them. 

 

The W. G. Slantz Company has been processing ASCAP and BMI monthly Per Program reports and settling licensing disputes for broadcasters since 1996.  Our niche has been providing services to broadcasters, at a low cost and streamlined processes and our expertise with regard to the performing rights licenses themselves.