February 2007
Dear Sister Society:
As the New Year begins, I am pleased to report that BMI has reached a new agreement with Discovery Communications, covering all of the Discovery cable and satellite channels through December 31, 2010, and including retroactive royalties. BMI will make a special distribution of these royalties in February 2007.
New agreements were also reached with The ABC Television Network, HBO, including all HBO/Cinemax-related cable and satellite networks, and, for the first time, with the Outdoor Channel.
BMI continues to monitor the rapidly expanding digital marketplace, focusing on services and applications that exhibit strong revenue potential in the coming years, including podcasting, mobile subscription radio, cellphone television services and online and mobile gaming. Most recently, we completed a licensing agreement with broadband entertainment network SpiralFrog, a music-download website based on an advertising revenue model that will launch in early 2007 in the United States. SpiralFrog offers advertising-supported, legal downloads of licensed audio and video content at no cost. Through its licensing agreement with BMI, the company is able to publicly perform the more than 6.5 million musical works we represent.
I am pleased to note that the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop has been awarded a Tony Honor for Excellence, given annually by the Tony Administration Committee to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony categories. The Workshop has been a home for some of the most creative voices in musical theatre for more than four decades and we are indeed proud to be recognized with Broadway’s ultimate honor.
As we move into 2007, it is extremely gratifying to note that there is a growing sense of community in our industry, a unity of purpose, as all of us — songwriters, composers and music publishers, majors and independents — face the challenges of today’s constantly evolving marketplace. As young and old both here and abroad continue to embrace great music, regardless of genre or country of origin, the work we do together becomes increasingly important, as we strive to make certain that those who create that music are adequately compensated for their work, ensuring a continuing stream of new sounds for generations yet to come.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Sincerely,
Del Bryant
President
Chief Executive Officer