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Hip Hop Music Licensing Terms

Annual Blanket One yearly license fee covers unlimited music use. Fee varies with type of usage and market size.

Clearance The type of permission granted by a license agreement.

Clearance Categories for Programs:
All TV Media:
Telecast on all free TV, cable (basic & pay subscription), and digital TV & DBS.

Free TV: Telecast on free TV only. Includes re-transmission on basic cable service (does not include basic or pay subscription).

Cable: Telecast on cable (basic and pay subscription), digital TV and DBS.

Internet: Web cast on the Internet in linear or non-linear, non-downloadable form only.

Radio: Broadcast on radio.

In-Transit Exhibition, Common Carrier and Closed Circuit Transmission: Broadcast or exhibition on a closed circuit system and on boats, trains, planes or any form of transportation in which entertainment is supplied by the carrier.

Copyright Copyright is the right granted by law to the creators of original literary, dramatic, artistic and musical works to ensure that copyright owners are rewarded for the exploitation of their works. Copyright protection begins as soon as an original piece of music is written or recorded. This means that the writer (or his/her publisher if they have one) has the right to determine who can make recordings, or copy previously made recordings, of his/her work, and under what terms.

Film Festival Exhibition at festivals for awards only.

Infomercials Extended length productions that promote a product or service for commerce.

Laser Drop (Needledrop) A single use of music in a production. If use exceeds the length of the original composition (looping), then an additional needledrop has occurred.

Local Commercial Airing in a single state only, and in no major markets

Musical work The copyright in a musical work, including any lyrics, belongs to the songwriter or composer who wrote the work. It is often assigned to, or exclusively licensed or administered by a music publisher. The copyright period may vary but in most cases it will expire seventy years after the year of the death of the composer or last surviving co-writer.

National /Nationwide Commercial Airing in the U.S. in either, at least two major markets* or more than five states. Major markets are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Miami.

Needledrop A single use of music in a production. If use exceeds the length of the original composition (looping), then an additional needledrop has occurred.

Non-Broadcast Production Programs or presentations that are linear and non-broadcast (and will not be transmitted either by broadcast signal or cable). Usually corporate in-house program and presentation productions not intended for broadcast or cable transmission to the public.

Performance The rights to an artist's performance belong to that performer. This right applies to all types of performance including a performance in a studio for recording purposes. Rights in most artists' performances on record are dealt with by the record company which owns that recording, but there are circumstances when a performers' rights must be addressed separately.

Performing Rights These are generally the responsibility of the broadcast user. In the case of broadcasters (radio, TV, cable and satellite) it is customary and generally the responsibility of the broadcaster to have negotiated licenses for these rights with the performing rights organization in the United States (ASCAP, BMI and SESAC).

Production Blanket Unlimited music use in a single production. License fee is based upon production length and market.

Productions for Distribution Audio/video cassette or disc produced in a linear fashion for distribution or sale to the general public or a select audience.

Production Music Often referred to as Library Music, this music is produced exclusively for inclusion in professional audio-visual productions. High quality recordings reflecting a wide range of musical styles are available to audio-visual producers for licensing at a fixed, cost-effective rate license fee. All rights generally required by producers are licensed simultaneously.

Promos Productions that promote program viewing.

PSA Public Service Announcement: non-profit productions provide information or service to the general public.

Public Domain (PD) Music When the term of a copyright has expired, the musical work or sound recording to which that copyright applied is considered public property. No license is required in these circumstances; however, producers are advised to take great care in confirming that any music they consider to be in public domain is actually PD.

Publisher The organization, company or administrator of rights for musical compositions that are intended for distribution.

Regional Commercial Airing in up to, and including five states which may include a single major market. Major markets are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Miami.

Revision Any change or alteration to an existing production. This change can be audio, visual or both. Any revision requires a new and separate license, since this is considered a new and separate production.

Sound Recording The copyright in a sound recording belongs to the person or company who made the recording. This is usually deemed to be the record company, which holds a contract with the artist performing on the recording.

Tags A short segment added to the main body of a commercial that presents additional information regarding the product or identifies a different market the commercial is aired in. Each tag requires a new license.

Telephone (Message or Music) On-Hold Telephone on-hold with either message with music or music only.

Territories The geographic area covered by a license. Commonly referred to categories - Worldwide, National /Nationwide, Regional, Local.

Term The duration of the license.

Theatrical Exhibition in public venues for entertainment.

Theme Use A single piece of music used on multiple occasions to create a common audio identity.

Worldwide Airing nationally in any country and/or outside of the U.S.