ASCAP's recent Board election clearly demonstrates the democratic principles that govern ASCAP, its diversity and its commitment to representing its membership. With a Board of Directors elected by ASCAP members, every recommendation the Board makes is in the best interest of the membership as a whole. It is one of the main advantages of belonging to a performing rights organization that is member-owned and run by people who create music. Each of us truly has a voice.

Another advantage to being member-owned is that there is never a conflict of interest when we negotiate licenses or lobby Washington for the highest levels of copyright protection. Currently, Congress and the courts are looking very closely at the music industry and copyright. It is as critically important now, as it has ever been in our history, that we defend our livelihoods and speak up about the value of our work, our music, to the American people and music lovers around the world.

In the last Congress, the major battles over copyright involved the challenges posed by the Internet. All of us have read about the losses attributable to piracy, the legal fights to stamp out piracy and the legislative efforts of many in the high-tech community.

We continue to stand foursquare against piracy with others in the copyright world. It is wrong: it is illegal. We have also made clear our abhorrence of compulsory licensing. We know from bitter experience that a compulsory license means one thing: payments for the use of music are less than what the music is actually worth. That is totally unacceptable to us. It all goes to the heart of the issue: We cannot accept anything that undermines our ability to control our property.

Our case, simply put, is that far from fearing technological innovations, we welcome them. We have embraced every new technological breakthrough that has allowed greater numbers of the public to enjoy our musical creations, but with one condition - that we are paid and paid fairly for the commercial exploitation of our music.

In this new Congress, we will need to be vigilant against those who believe compulsory licenses are an easy way to solve the problem of piracy, licenses which would also be applied to the performance right. I can assure you that ASCAP will continue to make your case, resist harmful legislation and do everything it can to protect your rights.

Marilyn Bergman
President and Chairman of the Board