More Office Of Fair Trading news for you (following the story yesterday that the OFT has reported Apple iTunes to the European Commissions over allegations its UK pricing is unfair). This time the complaint has been lodged with the OFT by the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters.
They want OFT officials to investigate a practice in the TV industry whereby broadcasters and producers commissioning musicians to write music for their programmes often force composers to sign over the publishing rights to their work to a music publishing house chosen by the TV company. If the musician refuses they risk losing the commission.
With this system on the increase, the British Academy wants the OFT to take action on the basis that the TV companies are participating in anti-competitive practices by making the market place closed to composers who are not willing to assign their rights - creating an environment where composers are left with the choice "sign or don't work".
Commenting on the action, Academy chairman David Ferguson told CMU: "Royalties are a vital part of media composers' earnings, in many cases 60 or 70 per cent of their total income. If they are forced to give away a large percentage of this, simply for the privilege of working, it can have a devastating effect on their livelihood. A great many of our members are extremely angry at what they see as bullying and an abuse of power by certain broadcasters and production companies. I for one have suffered the midnight phone call from a rabid lawyer telling me that if I didn't assign my publishing I'd 'never work in this industry again'. We have a duty to fight as hard as we can on behalf of our members to put an end to this unnecessary and underhand practice."
A similar campaign is being launched by the Swedish composers' association SKAP against broadcasters there. The two representative bodies hope organisations representing composers all over Europe will follow suit.
Press info on the campaign is available from Alice Lemon at the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters on 020 7636 2929, or email [email protected]