This was obviously the week for launching x-point plans, though US publishing rights society ASCAP had ten points and it was more of a claim to rights than a plan. In fact they called it a 'Bill Of Rights'. Launched this week, the ten point document hopes to remind (or, possibly, persuade) the wider music industry, legislators and the public at large just how important songwriters and their ilk are. Among the ten points are things like "we have the right to be compensated for the use of our creative works, and share in the revenues that they generate" and "we have the right to license our works and control the ways in which they are used".
Commenting on the 'bill', ASCAP chief Marilyn Bergman told reporters: "Given the many issues surrounding the music industry today, it can be all too easy to overlook the source of it all - individual songwriters, lyricists and composers. That is why ASCAP has launched this Bill of Rights for Songwriters and Composers. Our goal is to remind lawmakers, the general public and music creators themselves of the rights that are inherent in their art. We simply cannot allow the original source of all music to be lost in the shuffle".
Those wanting all ten points go get them here: http://www.ascap.com/rights/billtext.aspx