Re: Performers' Right in Sound Recordings

Also,

Re: John Noble's post of new GATT implementation legislation for protection of sound recordings:

While the new GATT legislation does seem to provide increased protection for owners of music copyrights, it does not seem to create any new "rights" in the sense that "rights" are usually used in the music business (i.e., something to be licensed out to make money from), civil and criminal penalties notwithstanding.

As I understand it (and speaking from an applied record business perspective as opposed to a theoretical legal perspective) a true performance right would introduce a new source of revenue to musicians who perform on a recording. Each time that recording was played an ASCAP/BMI/SESAC-type organization would then have the job of funnelling the pennies back to those musicians who performed on that particular recording of the tune, just as they currently channel royalties back to the writers/composers of songs which are played ("performed") in public. As Jonathan Franklin pointed out earlier, it is this additional expense which the NAB claims would cripple its radio broadcasting membership's businesses.

scott fedewa
<fedewacs[_at_]leland.stanford.edu> Received on Thu Dec 15 1994 - 07:58:33 GMT