[asterisk-users] Royalty for On Hold Music ?

[SIP]

John Novack wrote:
> Paul wrote:
>   
>> The thread is about music on hold. Things such as playing local radio stations in a waiting room are not related. I don't think there is anything illegal about using normal over the air radio and TV for such purposes as long as it stays in the local market area.
>>
>> It is ALL copyright infringement, on hold or in a waiting room.
>>
>> That is the US law. Some may not like it, and are free to attempt to change it
>>
>> It really doesn't matter if one is ignorant of the law, the liability is still there.
>>
>> There is PLENTY of royalty free music available for Asterisk or any
>> other device. No need to risk ones business by doing otherwise. Why do
>> you think Digium chose to NOT distribute copyrighted music?
>>     
>
>   
http://www.connectionsmagazine.com/articles/2/212.html

Lots of information around about people who've had issues with 
rebroadcasting the radio in their business establishments. However, it 
is rare that ASCAP et al go after anyone but the big moneymakers. The 
old Bloom County rule still holds true: sue the one with the money.  For 
instance, in 2005, Dennis Rodman ran afoul of ASCAP because he was 
playing music over the speakers of his restaurant. Even HE complained 
rather often that it seems ridiculous that the only way to get 
permission to play music over the speakers of your local establishment 
is to pay utterly prohibitive licensing fees to ASCAP each year, but 
there's little that someone so public could have done to avoid being 
noticed.

Mom 'n' Pop shops are less likely to be noticed or fooled with simply 
because they have a limited visitor base and a low profile as well as 
not having the money to license the music should it become an issue. 
Your average Mom 'n' Pop shop isn't going to pay the $20,000 per song no 
matter WHO threatens them. They'll just cease playing music over their 
PA or on their hold music. This would equate to a waste of time and 
money on the part of the ASCAP, SESAC, or other such agency that's in 
the business of making money, so it's less likely to ever get further 
than a POSSIBLE cease and desist letter.


You pays your money and you takes your chances.  If you're a 
high-profile company, you're far better off buying royalty-free music in 
the first place and just going with that.

Alternately, you could write your own. All our on-hold music was written 
by our employees specifically for use on the on-hold system. It's a way 
of showcasing our local talent pool, and the composers are happy to have 
music in syndication (of sorts).

N.