Get an ASCAP License

Television

Television Licensing administers ASCAP license agreements with approximately 1,300 local television station customers, as well as the ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and Univision networks. We have also blanket and per program agreements for the LPTV industry.

Call 1-800-99-ASCAP

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Our local station customers can be licensed under a blanket or a per program license. Both license types provide total access to ASCAP's ever-growing repertory. The choice of license is made by the station.

To learn more about Television Licensing, or to speak to an ASCAP Account Manager regarding your existing ASCAP television account, please contact us at tvlicensing@ascap.com

or toll free at:
1-800-99-ASCAP

ASCAP AND TMLC LOCAL COMMERCIAL TV STATION AGREEMENT

On Thursday, August 9, 2012, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote approved the agreement reached between ASCAP and the Television Music License Committee (TMLC) on a new industry-wide license agreements covering the period January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2016 ("LOCAL STATION BLANKET TELEVISION LICENSE AGREEMENT" and "LOCAL STATION PER PROGRAM TELEVISION LICENSE AGREEMENT"). The parties' agreement ends the pending Rate Court litigation and provides coverage for all broadcasts by local stations, including both primary channel broadcasts and those made on secondary digital channels, and for all audio-visual content streamed on station-affiliated websites, or delivered as part of programming supplied by stations via mobile, wireless and any other digital platforms, so long as each entity involved in the transmission or retransmission of such programming other than the licensed station has an economic relationship to the licensed station.

The new agreements are being provided to all eligible stations that are either represented by the TMLC or have agreed to be bound by the terms of the ASCAP/TMLC agreement. The principal features of the new license agreement are set forth below, with links to the new license agreement and Judge Cote's Final Order.

2010-2011 Interim Fees Finalized.
The agreement provides that interim fees paid for 2010 and 2011 are now final, except that interim per program license fees that are subject to adjustment pursuant to paragraphs 4 and 6 of the per program license in effect for the license term ending December 31, 2009 shall remain subject to such adjustment.

Final Fees for 2012-2016.
Industry-wide Blanket License fees for all commercial local television stations for each year of the new license term are as follows:

January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012 -- $91.5 million;
January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013 -- $91.5 million;
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014 -- $91.5 million;
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015 -- $92.0 million;
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016 -- $92.0 million.

Each local television station's Blanket License fees shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the license fee allocation formula established by the Committee and attached as Exhibit B to the new Blanket and Per Program Licenses.

For stations that elect to operate under a per program license, fees will be calculated consistent with past practice except that, for the period beginning January 1, 2012, the "per program multiplier," inclusive of the per program administrative fee, has been reduced from 1.62 to 1.45.

Beginning January 1, 2015, all stations will be able to elect to be licensed under an Adjustable Fee Blanket License (AFBL). The AFBL will adjust a station's blanket license fee to reflect the extent to which a station licenses ASCAP works either directly with the publisher and/or composer, or through a source license negotiated with the program producer. ASCAP and the TMLC will be negotiating the terms and conditions of the AFBL, the details of which will be provided once agreement is reached.

INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS.
Should you have any questions concerning the terms of this agreement, please feel free to contact the Television Music License Committee c/o Will Hoyt, Executive Director. Phone: (917) 414-5893; Email: will@televisionmusic.com or Alixandra Steier, Director, Broadcast Relations, Phone: (301) 961-1970; Email: alix@televisionmusic.com