BMI has reached a license agreement with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio, Inc (NPR). The license fees cover PBS, NPR and their member television and radio stations, as well as numerous other individual CPB-qualified non-commercial radio and television stations. The agreement runs from 2003 to 2007 and the exact terms are confidential.
Commenting on the agreement, John Shaker, BMI’s senior vice president, Licensing, said: “BMI is pleased to have signed a new license agreement with the public broadcasting industry that will compensate BMI’s affiliated songwriters, composers and publishers for the next five years.” Previously BMI blanket license fees for PBS and NPR were set by the Librarian of Congress for the five-year period ending in 2002.
BMI also reached three agreements with industry associations representing noncommercial community or college radio stations on proposed fees for the use of BMI’s repertoire. The agreements with the National Religious Broadcasters Music License Committee and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters propose fees for the Copyright Office to adopt for the noncommercial community radio stations represented by these industry associations. BMI has also agreed with the American Council of Education for fees for BMI’s repertoire for noncommercial radio stations affiliated with colleges and universities. The BMI fees for low power FM noncommercial radio stations newly licensed by the FCC are also included in these proposals.
