Little-Noticed Music Deal

Everyone listens to music, but musicians
unions may not attract the same attention. Several people, including myself,
reported on the composers
and lyricists recently, but this time I’m talking about the musicians themselves,
i.e., the performers. Turns out their union, the American Federation of Musicians,
made a deal three weeks ago with the studios — but it appears (correct me if I’m
mistaken) that no one reported it (though the LA
Times did mention that the deal was in negotiation).

Let’s correct the omission.
According to the AFM
website, the two agreements (one theatrical, the other television) run through February 2013 and establish
jurisdiction over productions made for new media, increase residuals for
traditional product exhibited in new media (move-over product), and “provide a new income stream when music is
used in New Media other than in New Media productions.” The agreements also
include wage increases and “protect musicians’ health benefits.”

That’s all the detail I have at
this point. A ratification package is going out to members shortly, or already
has. More info to come when I have it.

———————

Subscribe to my blog (jhandel.com)
for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Go to the blog itself
to subscribe via RSS or email. Or, follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, or subscribe to my Huffington Post
articles. If you work in tech, check out my book How
to Write LOIs and Term Sheets.