The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) have signed a $1.7 billion deal to cover licensing rights for music played on Internet and standard radio stations.
Considered to be the largest such licensing deal in American radio history, the deal was approved October 15 by a federal judge. It gives stations the right to perform ASCAP-administered music on the air and on simultaneous Web radio streams.
This involves a repertory of over 7.5 million copyrighted songs and extended compositions, as well as works represented by over sixty affiliate foreign performing rights groups, ASCAP and RMLC said announcing the finalization of the deal.
ASCAP represents over 190,000 members and the RMLC represents most of almost twelve thousand American commercial radio stations.
The deal finalizes licensing fees for 2001-2003 and sets new ASCAP licenses for 2004-2009, the two groups said, as well as streamlining the process by which licensing fees are administered, the two groups added.
