ASCAP, Pandora Officials Among Witnesses at Senate Judiciary Hearing on Consent Decrees
Officials from Pandora and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) are among the scheduled witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee’s March 10 hearing (see 1502200042) on the Justice Department’s ongoing consent decree review. A subcommittee news…
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release Tuesday said the witnesses are Mike Dowdle, Bonneville International general counsel; Jodie Griffin, Public Knowledge senior staff attorney; Chris Harrison, Pandora vice president-business affairs; ASCAP CEO Beth Matthews; Lee Thomas Miller, Nashville Songwriters Association International president; and Matt Pincus, Songs Music Publishing CEO. DOJ is reviewing ASCAP and Broadcast Music Inc.’s consent decrees, which bar performing rights organizations (PROs) from refusing a license to any organization that requests one, leading to rate negotiations. Broadcasters are reaping the rewards of a consent decree process that unfairly compensates songwriters, music attorneys have said. Broadcasters have said the decrees help to keep the potential monopoly power of PROs at bay. The outcome of the DOJ review could influence the nature and timing of related legislation expected this Congress (see 1501070052). The hearing is at 10 a.m. in 226 Dirksen.