(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
John Simson, executive director of SoundExchange, Inc., and Catherine Eckhout, managing director of SOMEXFON – the Mexican neighboring rights society, signed a reciprocal agreement for recording artists. The agreement allows SoundExchange to receive and distribute SOMEXFON's sound recording royalties to the recording artists for whom SoundExchange acts as a representative, and SOMEXFON to collect and distribute royalties for performers and musicians in conjunction with EJE Mexico, a collecting society representing performers, bands, musicians and vocalists.
"The importance of artists receiving payment for the use of their music cannot be underscored enough," said Simson. "For too many years artists have subsidized other businesses that have used their music without having to pay anything. I'm glad that we are taking steps in the right direction with this Agreement."
"This agreement that benefits the performers is a significant step in advancing performance rights for artists represented by SoundExchange and SOMEXFON and performers and musicians represented by EJE Mexico," said Eeckhout. "At last Mexico has reached an international alliance among collection societies and representatives." –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
