IndieHQ / Article Detail

August 30th, 2007

Clearchannel Sucking The Life From Indie Artists Once Again

Our fine friends over at TalentFilter pointed out that LA radio station KYSR (Star 98) had a contest where artists can compete for a slot on an upcoming compilation and win $10k (among other prizes.) The kicker is that in the subtext of the agreement to submit music, the user is required to waive all royalties for that music.

Now, is 10k potentially worth way more than a band would make in ASCAP/ BMI/ or SEASAC payments? Sure. So maybe this isn’t all that egregious. But you see, The corporate parent tried this a few months ago in the aftermath of the payola scandal, when they were forced to allocate time to independents, but worked out a scheme where unsigned/ indie acts wouldn’t get paid. Again, it was all in the fine print. That was ultimately squashed through action by the A2IM and others…. but this scheme keeps popping up wherever corporate broadcast companies are concerned.
Here’s my message to the sniveling little attorneys with the bad comb-overs that write these terms-of-service: If a listener wants to hear an artists’ music, and you use that music to sell ads- it has a value, no matter what the source- indie, major or unsigned. CBS, Clearchannel and all the other mega-media companies need to understand that this isn’t the old days, and the label and artist communities simply will not keep quiet about it.

Written by Bill Wilson