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Did WBZ Radio Give Up Its ASCAP License?

C

Casablance

Guest
Noticed that anytime WBZ Radio AM 1030 plays any music it limits the play to a few bars. Makes me think that WBZ never renewed its ASCAP license and therefore cannot play music beyond the limits set by ASCAP for non subscribers.Seems that a station of WBZ's stature would not limit itself. How much does the license cost? Whatever it is, can 'BZ really be the premier radio station in Boston if it limits what it can broadcast because it won't pay to play?
 
Casablance said:
Noticed that anytime WBZ Radio AM 1030 plays any music it limits the play to a few bars. Makes me think that WBZ never renewed its ASCAP license and therefore cannot play music beyond the limits set by ASCAP for non subscribers.Seems that a station of WBZ's stature would not limit itself. How much does the license cost? Whatever it is, can 'BZ really be the premier radio station in Boston if it limits what it can broadcast because it won't pay to play?
Click to expand...
I have no idea about their ASCAP license, but WBZ is a news/talk station, not a music station, so why should they play any more than a few bars of any musical piece (as bumpers, etc...)?
 
Some of the talk host do segments on music and the listeners feel cheated if an entire song cannot be played. Noticed this several times when they do programs on movie music and the like. The host has on an expert in the field of musicology and all they can play are 8 bars. Again, you cannot call yourself a full service radio statio and limit what you can broadcast because you are too cheap to pay the dues to ASCAP.
 
I'd say they gave it up close to 12 years ago. Norm Nathan used to cheat a bit in the overnight, but they are pretty strict about it. Also I've heard that management is fanatical about the slighest plug(of any kind) or mention of any competition.
 
Ascap and BMI demand payment pretty aggressively. SESAC, the smaller of the three, doesn't have the clout.If BZ started playing full songs they would get slammed with a bill. BMI used to have a Massachusetts office in Westfield, ASCAP was located in Framingham. BMI songwriters who get college airplay but don't have Billboard charting hits have long complained about not getting paid. ASCAP does throw their writers a bone every year, the ASCAP PLUS AWARDS - deadline June 1 all you ASCAP songwriters. Both companies could do a better job of monitoring radio, tv and the internet.BMI is very good at collecting money. 1.4 billion in the past 2 years. For a non-profit? They could throw their 300,000 members 600.00 every two years for health insurance - what would that cost - 200 million of 1.4 bill?So - if WBZ slips a song in once in awhile it could slip under the radar - any more than that, they'd get billed.
 
So, they should pay the bill and become a full service station, not the fraud the are.As usual with WBZ management as with most other radio and television stations management comes out of sales and not programming. They can sell Budweiser and Bufferin but have a very limited vision in most cases beyond sales. So, it must be with 'BZ .Again, no one answered my initial question: How much does it cost to join/pay dues to ASCAP and or BMI ?Also, the fear that they may mention another station on 'BZ is the same for all other stations ... radio stations that is... and it shows the limited mentality of radio management. They think that if you mention let's say WRKO on WBZ or vice versa you are going to have an irresistable urge to change the station immediately or if asked by a rating service you won't know to which station you are currently listening. Time for management to grow-up. National television left that nonsense behind decades ago. GROW- UP !
 
Harvey Reid's excellent article sheds more light:ASCAP & BMI -- Protectors of Artists or Shadowy Thieves?By Harvey ReidThe cost of the blanket licenses, however, varies widely, and many complaints have been filed about unreasonableness of the fees, especially against ASCAP. A small nightclub might pay anywhere from $200-700 per year to ASCAP alone. http://www.ram.org/ramblings/philosophy/fmp/royalty-politics.html--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Not sure what Radio or TV has to pay BMI and ASCAP - or how SESAC makes any money - it is said that people generally laugh when SESAC asks for some cash. Check out their webpages www.bmi.com etc.http://www.nacubo.org/x7642.xml?s=x40BMI Rates Under College License Clarified February 3, 2006The rates for 2006-07 will be: One Tier License Two Tier License Cable License Per-Student Rate $0.289 $0.268 $0.569 Minimum $235.00 $188.00 N/A
 
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