As I have been predicting for a long time, eMarketer today reports “Music Industry Licensing to Provide Growth.”
As the article notes:
Bill Velez, former president of live recording performance rights group SESAC, said, “Unless there’s a total catastrophe in terms of a recession, and radio stations and TV stations go out of business in leaps and bounds and can’t pay their license fees, [the performing rights industry is] going to have a good year every year.”
While Mr. Velez is not talking about new fees per se, one can assume that “a good year every year” means a better year in years to come than in years past. And that translates to new licensing fees.
Stay tuned for a big battle.
POSTSCRIPT:
And see this article from today’s LA Times. The labels are coming, folks. With their hands out.