Music biz drills into dentists for royalties

CTV ^ | Updated Tue. Sep. 23 2003 8:16 AM ET | CTV.ca News Staff

[weegee]

The group that collects royalties for songwriters is taking aim at an unusual source: dentists. It's not just dentists, but chiropractors and opticians -- any kind of office space that plays CDs.

"This was a money grab, what is the legitimacy of this kind of request of a license for this purpose," asks Dr. Jack Cotrell of the Canadian Dental Association.

The idea that music is in the public domain is a longstanding one, but it's also completely wrong, according the a musicians' rep.

"Not only is it the right thing to do, but it's also the lawful thing to do, to pick up a licence for what amounts to a mere few pennies a day," said Andre LeBel, CEO of The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).

SOCAN is the Canadian copyright collective for the public performance of musical works. The group administers the performing rights of composers, lyricists, songwriters and their publishers.

It says that every time a dentist or other health care practitioner plays music for its patients, he's stealing. The group wants the doctors to pay up for the right to play their songs.

Some will not like the stance SOCAN is taking. However, there are some who welcome the idea.

"Songwriters are hurting because of the perception it's the public domain ... it's about time this happened," said Johnathan Simkin who runs '604 Records' and is the lawyer for the rock group Nickelback.

It’s not just SOCAN taking aim at general music listeners. On Sept. 9, the U.S. recording industry filed more than 200 lawsuits against people who share copyrighted music files over the Internet.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on behalf of its members, which include Universal Music Group, BMG, EMI, Sony Music and Warner Music, filed the 261 lawsuits in federal courts around the U.S.

"We want people to stop engaging in the theft of music so that people can go on making it. This is a terrible thing where people are biting the hands that make the music and destroying the very music that they want to continue to be created," said RIAA president Cary Sherman.

U.S. copyright laws allow for damages of up to $150,000 US for each song offered illegally on a person's computer.

SOCAN doesn't want to press charges. It just hopes businesses will voluntarily come up with the cash -- so musicians can continue to make life a little more enjoyable.

With reports from CTV's Todd Battis and the Associated Press

[.cnI redruM]

I don't think I'd own up to having penned such elevator music classics as "The Root Canal Suite."

[Ronin]

This is getting ridiculous. How long before they try to outlaw stereo speakers and demand that royalties be paid each time you play a CD at home with your friends?

Someone needs to tell these people to get a clue. All they are doing is building up a huge well of anger for themselves.

[finnman69]

Why stop at dentists. Will they sue bars who play music next?

[weegee]

In America, they've already done the shakedown on bars that have a tv on because "there might be a tv ad for Burger King that uses a member's song". It's a shakedown racket. The mob was in the music business at least up into the 1980s. Rap labels still have gangster ties. Wouldn't surprise me that ASCAP, RIAA, and the major labels still employ crooks.

[eno_]

Ho ho! You are unaware then of the mob-like tactics of the music licensors.

Once they TRY to snag you, they want their hooks in you for life. If you try to avoid music represented by the major licensing bodies, they will sue you if you slip up just once.

If one of them showed up on my door, I'd not hesitate to sic a thug on them - they are no better.

[weegee]

They already get bars. Look near the door or jukebox and you may find their BMI and ASCAP certificates.

[Ben Ficklin]

Dance Teachers also have to pay.

[freekitty]

Revenues must be down.

[staytrue]

Dance teachers will not pay, they will be granted "courtesy rights" because they are artists. However, if you play a CD for your car pool friends, you may be toast.

[george wythe]

It says that every time a dentist or other health care practitioner plays music for its patients, he's stealing.

The music industry is becoming more of Mafia-like enterprise.

If I bring my own CD to the dentist's office, will it be stealing if I listen to it while getting my teeth cleaned?

Why do I have to bring my own CD to the dentist's office if my dentist already has the same CD there?

[onedoug]

Anti-dentite bastards!

[Ronin]

I don't know if it is the crooks so much as it is the lawyers. Of course, all lawyers are crooks these days, so that may not be much of a difference.

Lawyers need lawsuits to make money. That's the name of that game. No lawsuits, no fees, no fancy cars or Brooks Bros. suits.

The thing is, there are so many of them now that they are frantically searching for anyone who can be sued for anything to justify their existence. The system is totally out of control and totally out of whack.

The Bard had the right idea.

[ShadowDancer]

If the denist paid for the CD, he can play it in his office or home if he wants to. He isn't reproducing. This is just plain stupidity.

[LibKill]

When I go to the dentist the only sounds I hear are the drill.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd like to see them collect royalties on that!

[wiseone]

my surgery staff had a CD playing classical music in the OR!!

[Tench_Coxe]

"If the denist paid for the CD, he can play it in his office or home if he wants to. He isn't reproducing. This is just plain stupidity."

According to some of the RIAA shills on this site, playing the CD in his office where others might 'hear' it is stealing.

[gitmo]

[Publius6961]

Wait.
if I have a gettogether and I play music for 20 people, I am also violating copyright laws?
How is that different from allowing 20 patients to hear the same thing?

[Publius6961]

Will they sue bars who play music next?

Of course!
Jukeboxes with earphones.