I apologise if my tone in this post is somewhat heavy-handed, but I feel really strongly about this topic and the responsibility that us authors need to bear for the market that we work within. None of this is a personal attack @RedOctopus and I mean no disrespect. I know your intentions are always positive and looking for ways to improve things.
The last time Envato announced this there was a sufficient backlash to overturn their decision, but I can’t see that happening if they decide to revisit it. I just think most authors have likely given up fighting to be heard since there’s not much left of the Audio Jungle carcass for carrion eaters to fight for.
I suppose broadcast sync licensing is the only lucrative avenue left for serious professional musicians working outside of the mainstream music industry. Offering up music at rock-bottom prices within this market space will only continue the trend of making music composing unviable as an occupation. In the short term, it might help out some struggling authors who are, ironically, actually experiencing the harsh reality of the extensive devaluation of the marketplace; but rock-bottom prices are never the answer and in the long run, that will only delay the inevitable. There was a fair-sized pie, with enough eating for anyone who was prepared to work hard. Tier-less, unlimited subscription music libraries cut themselves off a slice and then threw the rest of the pie in the bin and now everyone is hungry! There really needs to be some regulatory organisation to stop this implosion. This kind of recklessness just wouldn’t happen in any other industry.
Please don’t give up the sync fee. For unionised musicians working in the broadcast space, there are set fees that have been negotiated fiercely. To circumvent the fee entirely is just… well, [insert expletive of your choice.]
As I see it, platforms like EE have pillaged the online sync music market and now they’re chomping at the heels of the broadcast market. It can only end up making everyone poorer.
Everyone does what they need to do to survive, I get that. But when surviving means killing everyone else off, there is something fundamentally wrong and we need to ask ourselves, what are we really doing here?
A very important thing to also realise is that broadcasters/ program makers have often exclusive deals with publishers/ production music labels and libraries. These deals are also based on the fact that all this music is governed by PROs.
What will happen if a library will open the gates, also with a substantial amount of non-pro music? I believe that in the long run the broadcasters, program makers will say to the PROs: You know what? 80% (example) of our music is NON-pro so we’re going to pay less.
Result: the PRO money for everyone goes down. Not only then is the money upfront gone but at the back end as well.
We have already seen examples of this with some US TV Channels trying to buy-out composers.
I think independent publishing houses and major high quality broadcast libraries are there for a reason. They are in it together with the composers for the back-end royalties. That’s how this royalty stream is conserved.
It is interesting: who and how, and on what grounds will determine the professionalism of music? And who will give them such a right? If the music is registered in the BMI for example?)
You kidding? You really think company who spent thousands for making video cant pay $$$ for broadcast license? Allowing EE to use music for broadcast purposes is THE end of all.
As soon as Elements allows broadcast use of items then it really is over for authors. Only yesterday I had a tv and film license sale so there are budgets for music and it would be a scandal if broadcast use of music was simply given away.
whenever you guys feel concerned about broadcast licenses, take a deep breath and be grateful that you are not on Videohive where broadcast licenses never ever existed!
I lost the count of how many times I’ve seen my items on Tv…a couple of years ago I saw one of my templates in the first commercial right after the Champion’s League final…can you imagine how expensive that 30-sec slot was?
Cool stuff is, they had to buy standard license for the video but a broadcasting license for the audio…wtf?
NBC also bought one of my templates a couple of weeks ago…guess how much money I made and guess where the video is going to end up…
Correct me if I am wrong but broadcast of templates and footages do not generate PRO royalties (or generate small amount of them). Same with monetization, right? This is very different than our case in which PRO royalties are often much bigger than earnings from selling licenses on stock. Same with monetization.
In such case stock video/template makers do not have satisfying compansation from PROs.
Yep, this is very bad. However audio creators have totally different, way better situation.
You’re absolutely right.
Videos licenses have been exploited since always, and there are no royalties nor monetization whatsoever.
You can buy any template and air it on TV, and we are paid back with coins made of frustration.
I would at least expect some kind of broadcast licenses for videos but…not in this life!
It didn’t use to exist on AJ either. We had to fight hard and long to get this. Which is why it’s deeply concerning to see this model come under attack.
I would guess that if EE is ever opened up to more authors, it would only be bigger authors allowed in. So like authors with 1000 sales or more, for example.
@RedOctopus I agree. I see how results from monetization my music are getting better and better, while on AJ my sales dropped to the 2017 level, when I only started my path as a composer (~15 sales/month, even though I have 500+ items in my portfolio). Even on EE I have only %50 of my regular income, and it keeps getting worse.
Monetization - is our future.
And yeah, it would be really awesome, if Envato add some PRO info form for broadcast license buyers.
