[admin]

It is my understanding that if a venue is already paying the BMI/ASCAP licenses for their facility... IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW THEY PLAY THE MUSIC! Juke box, Radio, Karaoke... all fall under the same PERFORMANCE LICENSE... which is what BMI/ASCAP collects.

There are horror stories in our Forums of BMI/ASCAP "collectors" coming in and demanding payment on the spot.

FIRST make sure they are legitimate BMI/ASCAP representatives. I have no idea how to do that. Maybe someone else will post here what a true BMI/ASCAP "identification card" looks like... a BMP scan of a valid card would be great! If the bum cannot present any identification that looks valid, detain him nder a "Citizens Arrest" and call your Sherriff to make VERY sure the bum knows his presence isn't expected in the future ever again. I expect the Sherriff knows of some "impersonating" laws that might have been broken. He should be locked up in jail if he is impersonating a legal representative of BMI/ASCAP!

SECOND, tell him to INVOICE THE FACILITY! Don't ever pay some "self-proclaimed collector" on the spot. NEVER! EVER! NEVER!!!!!!

If the invoice is valid (I have no idea how to determine that, but maybe some will post it here), then consider paying it.

Uh... if you never get an invoice, then you twarted a thief in the act!

Call BMI/ASCAP! I'm sure they have some guidelines to protect legitimate licensees from unscrupulous "collectors". It is my understanding that some of these collectors may end up pocketing a second collection at the same venue.