ASCAP, NMPA Respond To Pandora Move

ASCAP and the National Music Publishers' Association have responded harshly to Pandora's purchase of a small-market radio station in an attempt to lower its ASCAP royalties.

Pandora announced Tuesday it has purchased KXMZ-FM in Rapid City, South Dakota, the 255th largest radio market in the country. The company believes it should receive the more favorable ASCAP licensing terms available to companies that own both terrestrial radio and Internet radio operations. The acquisition continues an ongoing scuffle between Pandora and ASCAP that peaked in November when Pandora sued the performing rights organization for lower royalties.

Paul Williams

"Pandora is trying every trick in the book to brazenly and unconscionably underpay and take advantage of the creative labor that produces the core offering of their business -- music written by individual songwriters and composers," said ASCAP president Paul Williams in a statement to Billboard.  "ASCAP has an ethical obligation to serve and protect the hundreds of thousands of small and independent songwriters, composers and music publishers we represent to ensure that they receive fair compensation when their songs are performed on any technology platforms."

The NMPA expressed a similar sentiment.

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