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Originally Posted by jimbo
OK, here goes a can of worms!!!!!!!
Some publisher/writers contend with each song there also needs to be "sync" license, because the lyrics are being "synced" up with video. In the motion picture industry this is very common. When a movie uses a song they must pay this "sync" license. From what I understand, the fee on the sync license is variable, depending on the type of movie, the expected revenue, etc.
This is where my question comes in. How can some companys sell music so cheap when the licenses they are to pay costs more or extremely close to what they are selling the disc for? Where do their production costs factor in as well? Those are the companys that aren't paying the proper licensing. Does that make those discs you buy from these companies illegal? The proper fees haven't been paid.
Some manufacturers contend they don't have to pay reprint fees because they lyrics aren't actually printed. Do you think the lyrics are printed? If the lyrics aren't printed, how are you able to read them on the screen. The lyrics are printed in some form or another because they are on the CD digitally. Some writers contend that everytime the song is played on CDG they should get their fair share because each time it is being played it is getting "printed" on the TV screen for "X" number of people to see and read.
I can just see it now, we're going to have to keep track of every song we play and send money to each writer when that song is played.
Second question: Are there any karaoke companies out there that have not shafted the public or writers?
Jimbo
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Basically I agree with you here. September 2003, seven of the MAJOR Karaoke Producers, including Sound Choice and Chartbusters, were sued for never having paid the sync licenses. There are a whole bunch of other suits that have been filed by other Publishers who own the lyrics.
As I understand it, if the lyrics are displayed, they are "printed". However, I don't see any way to accrue a fee for every time a song is played.
Who pays the sync licenses? Karaoke Bay (absolutely straight-laced lads!!!), Priddis, StarDisc.
Sweet Georgia Brown is so illegal that the owner lives in a Winabego and travels all the time. He is a hunted man! He sells LOTs of his discs on EBAY.
The typical royalties I have heard are:
1. Mechanical duplication rights to the music (compulsary or agreed to) - For a 3-4 minute song is $0.07. For longer songs it goes up about a cent a minute.
2. Sync license - I have heard $0.17 to $0.20. When you look at the CAVS SCDG discs, you're getting the Chartbusters Essential 450 for about $0.38 per song. That doesn't add up either. But then CAVS is Korean so its International Law to go after them.
If you buy a CDG disc in good faith, you are not guilty. The Producer may be though, but that's their problem, not yours! 