May 11, 2012. New York, New York. Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) have announced an agreement in principle for a new industry wide license, settling a multi-year litigation between the parties. The agreement covers the performance of more than 7.5 million musical works in the BMI repertoire. If approved by the court, the agreement will end a Federal Rate Court litigation over the fees that radio stations pay BMI on behalf of the songwriters and music publishers it represents for the public performance of their works by radio stations. The proposed deal covers January 2010 through December 2016. Details of the agreement have not been released pending review by the Court.
January 2012: For Information regarding the current RMLC ~ ASCAP settlement, please go to the ASCAP section of our website.
Our Mission
The Radio Music License Committee (“RMLC”) represents the interests of the commercial radio industry (some 10,000 terrestrial radio stations) on music licensing matters. It is structured as a 501(c)(6) non-profit Tennessee corporation based in Nashville. Its Directors, who volunteer to serve without compensation, reflect a diverse group of station owners and management. The RMLC’s staff consists of an Executive Director, William Velez, and a Staff Accountant/Data Manager, Rebekah Smith.
The objective of the RMLC is to achieve fair and reasonable license fees with the music licensing organizations (such as ASCAP and BMI) on behalf of radio stations. The RMLC is dedicated to negotiating licenses that reflect the realities of the current and changing state of the radio business. Some of the RMLC’s license negotiation goals include:
· implementation of licenses that fairly and accurately reflect station/industry economic performance, with the least amount of administrative intrusion;
· program period and/or blanket license “carve-out" alternatives that offer the potential for further fee discounting based upon a station’s ability to make strategic music programming choices;
· negotiation of licenses that provide the broadest scope of rights possible with respect to new media applications (e.g., streaming, HD multicasting, mobile and other “through-to-the-listener” applications); and
· continuation of the existing, court-mandated RMLC funding mechanism.
In terms of overall industry outreach, the RMLC:
· provides information concerning industry license negotiations via staff participation at industry conferences such as the MFM/BCCA, NAB venues, and various state association events;
· solicits appropriate feedback from all interested parties within the industry relative to music licensing issues;
· raises funds from the industry in the amounts required to conduct effective negotiations and/or rate court litigations;
· conducts research concerning the use and value of music to the radio industry;
· evaluates legislative action required to remedy music licensing inequities;
· identifies appropriate strategies to minimize the impact of other music licensing cartels; and
· responds to the needs of members who seek advice and counsel on various music licensing matters.
