radio commercial background music

Does anyone know the copyright status of radio advertisements which use copyrighted songs as background music?

I have always assumed that such uses are each licensed from the holders of both the composition and sound recording copyrights as one would expect. However, I hear enough prerecorded radio ads for small local businesses that use obscure but recognizable tracks as voice-over material that I wonder if they are all really obtaining such licenses. Or does an ASCAP/BMI blanket broadcasting license cover such use of works as background music?

Would the same answer apply to TV commercials?

scott fedewa
stanford law school
<fedewacs[_at_]leland.stanford.edu> Received on Mon Feb 27 1995 - 00:53:53 GMT