Outgoing DOJ Antitrust Chief Won't Act on ASCAP, BMI Pacts
The Trump administration's outgoing antitrust head said he won't act to change consent decrees governing performing rights organizations' licensing of public performance of music. After a two-year DOJ Antitrust Division investigation into the pacts with ASCAP and BMI, division chief Makan Delrahim laid out principles to keep in mind. But he said he's not acting now.
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"The Antitrust Division has considered carefully stakeholders’ views on all of these issues and recognizes that continuing disagreements exist among artists and within the music community regarding the benefits, drawbacks, and continued need for the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees," said the text of a speech Delrahim was giving early Friday afternoon. "Continued review of, and stakeholder input concerning, the decrees remains necessary to ensure the decrees continue to satisfy their purpose to protect competition and do not act as an impediment to innovation."
Industry stakeholders including ASCAP, BMI and NAB didn't comment right away.