RE: ASCAP sues the Girl Scouts -Reply

From: Douglas McCorison <douglas at point.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 15:34:41 PDT

reply> From: Randolph Fritz <randolph at teleport.com>
> Hmmmm...I know that non-profit radio stations are exempt from paying
> royalties; this is how a song can become a college radio hit and make no
> money for the artist. It may be that conventions incorporated as 501(c)3
> non-profits are exempt as well; a good intellectual property rights lawyer
> should probably be consulted.

Aren't the Girl Scouts non-profit? It doesn't seem to be protecting >them<. This is why I'm worried.

I now have the article in front of me. It quotes the law as follows:

	"The law defines a public perfomance as 'where a substantial number 
	of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social
	aquiantances is gathered.'"

replyIt also notes that they didn't begin to enforce stuff until the last decade. So past experience may not guide now. I'm not sure exactly what happens with college radio stations. When I worked one, I had to keep a complete play-list, but that was more than 10 years ago. Randolph, you say "exempt", can you give more information? Is that law, court decision, or just "hands-off" from the companies? More information?

Douglas Received on 08/22/96