ASCAP Launches Member Access
A major systems upgrade provides members with an easy and secure way to manage their business
Member Access – a secure, online portal providing ASCAP's songwriter, composer and music publisher members 24/7 access to their membership, catalog, performance and royalty information – launched earlier this month with a tremendous response from the music community. This new, sophisticated technology will allow ASCAP members to conveniently conduct their business with ASCAP from anywhere in the world.
Commenting on the launch, ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento said: "ASCAP is committed to providing our members with the best service possible to meet their evolving needs. Through the deployment of innovative technologies like Member Access, we are able to provide even greater choices and make it more convenient for ASCAP members to conduct their business and pursue their creativity."
Close to 5,000 members activated their accounts in the first few days of Member Access going live. Here is what some of those members are saying about their Member Access experience so far:
"Member Access provides a number of tools that allow music publishers to more effectively manage their copyright and agreement information at any time and from any place," said Jeremy Blietz, Vice President of Administration for Warner/Chappell Music. "Having worked closely with ASCAP on this project, we are pleased to see its launch and eager for Member Access to enhance the way we operate with our ASCAP songwriters, publishers and colleagues."
"As a writer and musician for ASCAP who is constantly writing, performing and traveling, I find the member access tools for managing my catalog and distributions so fulfilling. Having access to my account 24/7 is a huge benefit," said songwriter Jeff Franzel, an ASCAP member beta-tester for Member Access. Jeff has been a member of ASCAP for 25 years and recently had one of his songs recorded by Josh Groban and Placido Domingo. "Now I find that I am more connected and involved with ASCAP not only for my personal use but also for being informed with many of the issues that are important for all of us writers to understand in this new digital age. I strongly encourage songwriters to participate in the new member access site."
"As a composer whose works are performed both at home and abroad, it's a huge advantage to not only be able to access my statements from anywhere in the world, but to also be able to designate another user to manage my business, said composer Joel Beckerman, founder of Man Made Music, a bi-coastal music production company and a winner of ASCAP's 'Most Performed Themes' award for the last four years. "Having the option to turn off paper statements is also a worthwhile benefit. This is the future."
"APM Music has beta tested ASCAP's Member Access and can say with confidence that this new system provides a host of new business tools never before available to publishers, songwriters and composers," said Adam Taylor, President of APM. "It reinforces ASCAP's leadership in innovation and member service."
ASCAP's Member Access instantly provides the following benefits:
• Combination searches that allow members to view and manage their works information more effectively.
• The ability for members to request and receive PDF or MS Excel copies of their catalog.
• Members can create designated users who are able to view and/or edit aspects of their membership, catalog or royalty data.
• Publishers can search for and manage their worldwide agreements.
• A secure paperless option to view, download and sort statements by music user, by earnings, by domestic or international distributions and by distribution date ranges thereby providing ASCAP members with the industry's most innovative royalty services.
• An automated direct deposit selection. By signing up for direct deposit, members will receive their royalties faster, and they can go green by turning off paper statements.
• Members can update their contact information, membership profile, and more.
• Members can submit an inquiry to Member Services with referencing attachments, and view the status of their inquiry.
Other time-saving business tools will be integrated into the online services portal in the coming months. ASCAP members should activate their account now by going to http://members.ascap.com.