10K Radio Stations File BMI Lawsuit To Pay Songwriters Less, PRO Responds

The Radio Music License Committee, which represents more than 10,000 commercial radio stations in the US, has filed a petition in the federal rate court to resolve its ongoing rate dispute with performing rights organization BMI over the amount paid to songwriters and publishers for the broadcast of music.“BMI has spent more than two years attempting to negotiate a new rate with the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) that fairly and accurately reflects the scope and quality of the music we represent," said Mike Steinberg, Executive Vice President, Licensing & Creative at BMI, responding to the filing. "As anticipated, the RMLC is trying to use a below-market rate they negotiated with the only US PRO they were able to come to an agreement with; an agreement based on flawed market share data and one that has since been made irrelevant by newly-agreed to and adjudicated rates in the marketplace," continued Steinberg referring to a rate agreement RMLC made last year with ASCAP. "We look forward to presenting our position before the Court and demonstrating the dominance of BMI’s repertoire.”A two year RLMC agreement with SESAC expires at the end of 2018.