Original watchdogs of the BROADCAST industry.
Their, Original JOB, was to monitor Radio (mainly Radio) and Television stations. They would make a list of all that was Played, ON AIR !!, and would COMPARE their lists to Radio Stations Lists to make sure that the Radio Stations were PAYING Royalties to the Record Companies, which would, supposedly, filter down to the Artists...what a Joke.
Since they are NON-PROFIT organizations, they can spend monies collected in whatever way possible...to keep the company afloat, so-to-speak, and is the reason why the ARTISTS end up with a STIPEND amount, if any.
Sort of like you and I starting up a Non-Profit organization and naming ourselves as CEO and CFO and paying ourselves $500,000.00/year salary. Then, of course, we would need offices and office equipment and Personnel to run the NON-PROFIT business. You can see why the Artists get little or nothing while operating on their behalf.
Then, you get a few Liberal Federal Judges in a liberal state like, New York, to win a few TEST cases, so precedents may be set. Then, you go nationwide, with this Racketeering, by hiring local people to turn in the names of Bars and Nightclubs.
I would like to know what RADIO Station AIR WAVES, which are freely RECEIVED by anyone, have to do with SPEAKER generated sound in a Club? Sound that is NOT freely received by the GENERAL PUBLIC.
Anyway, if you go to any of the Websites for BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC, you will see ONLINE forms that show what THEY say is billable. You can check this site for BMI to see what I mean.
http://www.bmi.com/licensing/business/whatis.asp
No venue is immune. They have blown this thing so far out proportion that they include any COMMERCIAL entity that uses music.
Have you ever been to Applebee's Restaurant? They have TV's but they DO NOT turn up the SOUND. This way, BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC cannot claim that Applebee's transmitted a PROTECTED Copyrighted WORK in the Applebee's COMMERCIAL environment. Pretty smart way to keep from having to PAY these leeches, while, at the same time, keep Applebee's Sport minded Customers happy because you may still view the TV.
Viewing...hmmmm...how 'bout you and I start a non-profit company and represent the VIDEO side of the industry. That way Venues would have to turn their TV's off or PAY.
I know Clubs that only hire HOME GROWN bands, whose works are NOT listed with any of these leeches. These Clubs, too, do NOT subscribe or Pay Licensing Fees, although the Leeches have insisted that these Clubs "must" have a license and have threatened Legal Action. I would like to see this one in Court.
Well, a little background as to what we are facing in Karaoke.
Take it for what it's worth, it's, most likely, here to stay.