DOJ to Highlight ASCAP, BMI Consent Decrees at Tuesday Workshop

The ASCAP and BMI consent decrees will feature prominently at DOJ’s workshop Tuesday on music licensing, as expected (see 2007100019), with officials from the National Music Publishers’ Association and NAB to appear. DOJ Antitrust Chief Makan Delrahim will give opening remarks. Musicians LeAnn Rimes, Pharrell Williams and Jon Bon Jovi will deliver keynotes. NMPA CEO David Israelite will speak on a panel about the consent decrees, with NAB CEO Gordon Smith, BMI CEO Michael O’Neill and ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. Agenda items include public performance licensing alternatives, performance rights organizations and licensing music to users. The Songwriters of North America, Universal Music Publishing Group, Music Artists Coalition, iHeartMedia and others are sending representatives to speak.