Dear Broadcasters,                                                                 November 28, 2016

As a follow up to my November 22, 2016 industry message, you should know that the RMLC is continuing to explore negotiations with GMR while the litigation goes forward, and we remain committed to achieving the best possible result for the industry.  We also want to emphasize again, as explained in my earlier message, that every broadcaster is free to determine whether the best course for it is to negotiate a license with GMR directly, to attempt to avoid playing any GMR-controlled compositions, or to await the results of the RMLC’s efforts.  In connection with that choice, some of you have been asking for more information about GMR’s catalog.  Let me be clear -- whatever course you ultimately choose, we at the RMLC cannot and do not intend to provide any broadcaster with any legal advice about how to deal with GMR, or about how you may wish to try to navigate around its catalog.  The RMLC does not have any special access to or knowledge about the current contents of that catalog, which changes on a regular basis.  The RMLC previously only obtained a snapshot of what GMR said its catalog was months ago and cannot, in any event, advise you on whether or how to try to avoid playing songs in the GMR catalog, or what an appropriate fee proposal would be for you.  Nonetheless, if you are interested, you can reach out to GMR directly to obtain the most current information about its current catalog – just recognize that you, too, will only be able to obtain a snapshot as of that moment in time.  You can also reach out to GMR directly to request a fee proposal specific to you.  You can contact GMR c/o Randy Grimmet at [email protected].

 

Please keep us in the loop by cc’ing Bill Velez, the  RMLC’s Executive Director ([email protected]), on any communications you have with GMR.

 

Best regards, 

Ed Christian
RMLC Chairman