Media company Discovery Networks has scrapped controversial plans to stop paying performance royalties to composers for shows aired in the US across its channels including Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.
As first reported by Variety in December, Discovery Networks was planning to start asking composers to agree to “direct source licenses” for their music, (i.e. having their rights bought outright ), or risk having their work removed from programming.
It was suggested in Variety’s report last month that composers for hit programs such as Deadliest Catch, Goldrush and others would have seen an estimated 80-90% dip in their income from such shows as a result of the proposed changes.
This news drew fierce criticism from both creators and PROs, with ASCAP stating in mid December that it was “very alarmed by the reports of Discovery Networks’ new policy”.
The Production Music Association (PMA), which counts over 670 music publisher and composer members, issued a statement on Thursday (January 24) announcing a U-turn from Discovery.
The PMA personally thanked Discovery’s Vice President of Global Music, Shawn White for the network’s reversed decision.
“Some very good news,” said the PMA’s statement. “We have been informed today by Discovery Networks that in regard to performance rights, Discovery has decided that their US channels will remain operating as is under the traditional PRO performing rights model.
“The PMA would like to personally thank Shawn White and everyone at Discovery for this decision.
“We greatly appreciate this and look forward as a community to working together with Discovery to provide their programming with the best quality music possible.”
“We greatly appreciate this and look forward as a community to working together with Discovery to provide their programming with the best quality music possible.”
Production Music Association
Your Music Your Future (YMYF), an education resource and online community of composers, songwriters, music producers and creators founded last year by Joel Beckerman, David Vanacore, Gabriel Mann and Miriam Cutler – also released a statement on Thursday calling the decision “an historic and unprecedented moment”.
“This is an historic and unprecedented moment.”
Your Music Your Future
“This is an historic and unprecedented moment,” said YMYF last week. “Your personal efforts helped drive a massive collective push from more than 11,000 of your music creator brethren: the Your Music, Your Future community.
“With the force of our community behind it, the Variety article covering Discovery’s initial plan to cut composer royalties was shared 9,700 times on Facebook and Twitter and generated 101,000 social media impressions. Composers have a voice!
“Other groups in the creative community may seek to take credit for this win, and that’s fine. But just remember that YOU are the ones who made this happen.
“You started it, lit the fire, spread the word and took powerful and decisive action again and again. This result is a stunning tribute to your grit and determination over the last six weeks.”Music Business Worldwide