Copyright and Public Performance of Music

There have been many notable descriptions of music but perhaps one of the most apt from the viewpoint of law and commerce was Ian Hay's statement, "Music is about the most vulnerable piece of property that a man can bring into the world, especially today. " With the increased use of music brought about by technological advances, such as radio, sound films and tele­ vision, and the concomitant decrease in the sale of sheet music and phonograph records, the need for writers and publishers of music to share in the revenue from public performances became urgent. With this urgency the author's rights in the public per­ formance of his music became the subject of much literature and litigation which continues to this day. The purpose of this book is to present a clear picture of this much written and litigated about subject: the au'thor's right in the public performance of his music. In order to do this we must indicate not only the nature of the right but also how it is exer­ cised for it should be evident that with performances taking place throughout the world and in a multitude of ways, the exercise of the right by an individual author or publisher would present insurmountable problems.

I United States.- I. American Copyright and Common Law.- A. Distinction Between Common Law Protection and Statutory Copyright.- Common law prior to copyright statute.- Constitution authorizes copyright protection.- Congress exercises constitutional power.- Act does not displace common law.- Common law protection until publication or registration.- B. Boundary Between Copyright and Public Domain.- Statute requires copyright notice.- Authors and assigns entitled to copyright.- Publications abroad by foreign authors.- Deposit of copies; claim of copyright.- Manufacturing clause.- Duration of copyright.- Renewal notice ?.- C. Meaning of Publication — Especially Concerning Musical Works.- Public performance; distribution of films.- Patterson v. Century Productions.- Sale and distribution of phonograph records.- The Miracle case.- Reconciling Miracle and Yacoubian.- Can records secure copyright?.- Circumventing the Miracle case.- D. Conclusion.- II. Public Performance of Music in the United States.- A. The Statutory Law.- Nonprofit performances excluded.- Juke box exception.- Dramatico-musicals not limited.- B. Public Performance for Profit and the Courts.- Receiving set in public.- Broadcasts are public.- Broadcasts are performances.- Commercial broadcasting.- Performing right is a separate right.- C. (Economic) Necessity is the Mother Of Invention.- First society in France.- American societies.- D. An Anatomy of ASCAP.- I. Birth.- II. Contracts’. Present and future rights.- Non-dramatic rights.- Non-exclusive assignments; antitrust suits.- Blanket and per program Hcenses.- Network broadcasting.- Source licensing.- License fees subject to control.- III. Management and its Election: Voting rights.- Nomination of directors.- IV. Royalties, or Raison d’Etre: Publisher and writer royalty funds.- Royalty appeal procedure.- V. Relief Fund and Annual Dues.- VI. Royalties Revisited: Membership requirements.- Distribution of royalties.- Distribution on broadcasting performances.- Program analysis.- Foreign societies.- Performance values.- Withdrawal from society.- E. The BMI Story.- I. Background: Radio opposes ASCAP.- II. Birth of BMI: Radio and ASCAP settle dispute.- III.Contracts’. Licences.- Exclusive assignments.- Film music.- Right to record.- Writer and publisher royalties.- Additional catalogs.- IV. Other Departments.- V. Royalties’. Fixed amount per broadcast performance.- Unethical practices.- Writers receive 1/2 as much as publishers.- Foreign rights.- Guarantee.- Analysis of broadcasting performances.- F. BMI and ASCAP — Differences and Similarities.- I. Contracts’. Dramatic and non-dramatic rights.- Exclusive and non-exclusive assignments.- Disputes due to two Hcensors.- Government supervision of license fees.- Composition of ASCAP and BMI.- Motion picture performing rights.- II. Royalties’. Rates; distribution formulas.- Television performances.- Program analysis.- Non-exclusive rights.- Royalty appeal systems.- III. Withdrawal’. Withdrawal from membership.- BMI v. Taylor.- Dual membership.- IV. Operation: Criticism of BMI.- Alleged favoritism.- Conclusion.- II. Britain, Netherlands, France.- III. European Copyright.- A. Berne Union.- International Copyright Union.- National treatment.- Limitation on formalities.- Restrictions on nonmembers.- First publication in nonmember country.- Definition of publication.- Netherlands: sale is not publication.- The Gone with the Wind case.- England re publication.- Term of publication.- Distinction between published and unpublished works.- Universal Copyright Convention.- B. Great Britain.- England abolishes common law copyright.- First publication in U.S..- Simultaneous publication.- Definition of publication.- Indefinite duration of protection.- Records and pre-1911 law.- Distribution of motion pictures.- Compulsory Licensing.- Term of protection.- Absence of formalities.- Limitation on right to assign.- Criminal provisions.- Originality is not novelty.- Infringement must be substantial.- C. Netherlands and France.- The moral right.- Netherlands: Act contains moral right.- France: recognition by jurisprudence.- U.S. and Britain: no moral right.- Nationals first published in U.S., etc.- Films and records; performance of music.- France protects all authors.- Fair use; compulsory licenses; formalities.- Posthumous works and phonograph records.- IV. Public Performance of Music in Europe.- A. The Statutory Law.- Profit requirement absent.- No jukebox exception.- Britain: copyright in records.- B. Case Law.- Gramophone Co. v. Carwardine.- France: performance of records.- Britain and U.S..- Netherlands.- Summary.- Right of broadcasting not specified.- Britain.- France.- Netherlands.- C. Great Britain.- I. Performing Right Society, Ltd.- a. Membership and Management.- b. Assignments.- c. Licenses.- d. Programs.- e. Distribution.- f. Mechanical societies.- II.Phonographic Performance Ltd.- a. Recording companies and Musicians’ Union.- b. Monopoly.- III. Recommended Tribunal.- D. France.- One society; no government supervision.- SACEM; programs.- ASCAP royalties.- Operas.- Broadcasting.- E. The Netherlands.- a. Governmental control.- b. Membership and management.- c. Assignments.- d. Licenses.- e. Programs.- f. Distribution.- g. Other activities.- F. CISAC.- G. Withdrawal From Societies.- Conclusion.- Conclusion.- Appendices.- A. ASCAP Domestic Consent Decree.- B. ASCAP Foreign Consent Decree.- C. ASCAP Membership Contract.- D. ASCAP Royalty Distribution.- E. BMI Consent Decree.- F. BMI Contract for Publishers.- G. BMI Contract for Writers.- H. BMI Publishing Department Contract.- Table of Statutes and Conventions Cited.- Table of Cases Cited.- Table of Works Cited.