Frequently Asked Questions
How do I begin?
Before you register, identify a secondary contact for the Music Rights (MR) system. The system requires both primary and secondary contacts. You will be the primary contact and the secondary contact should be someone in station management.
You will be asked to provide administrative information about your station, its broadcast signals, and its Web site(s). After CPB confirms your submission, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on accessing the agreements for review. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail, please check your spam or junk e-mail folder.
New Internet Music Rights Agreements have been negotiated with ASCAP, BMI, and Global Music Rights (GMR). Each of these agreements requires specific administrative information that must be collected by CPB. The CPB Music Rights site gives you the opportunity to review and print each agreement and provide you with a comprehensive list of your station’s status in regard to each agreement.
What happens after I submit my registration?
Soon after submitting your registration, the primary contact will receive an e-mail from CPB. Using the information in the e-mail, log on to the Music Rights site to review the agreements.
How do I accept the license agreements?
The SoundExchange, ASCAP, BMI, and GMR Internet Music Rights Agreements require that your station affirm that it accepts the terms of each of these agreements. After reviewing the agreements, indicate that your station agrees to the terms of the agreements by checking a box provided for that purpose. You will receive an e-mail confirming your acceptance of the agreements.
The Harry Fox and SESAC Internet and Broadcast agreements and the ASCAP, BMI, and GMR Broadcast Agreements require no action by stations. If a station meets one of the qualification criteria, it is covered by these agreements.
What do joint licensees do to register?
Joint licensees can register as a single account. You will include all information about all radio and television stations in the single account. Please remember that the SoundExchange agreement pertains only to radio stations.
What constitutes a URL?
A URL is the address for a Web site. For example, let's say that a station's URL -- or domain name -- is www.example.org. Any sites contained under the domain name, such as www.example.org/another_site/, do not need to be registered.
What information is shared?
CPB will regularly report URLs and station administrative information submitted for the agreements to the licensing organizations. CPB will generate this information as determined by the terms of the applicable agreements.
How do I make changes to my account information?
Log in to the Music Rights system using the link, user name, and password provided in your confirmation e-mail. Click the "Edit Account" button at the top of the page. You will be able to change contact information and URLs on the Edit Account page.
Contact CPB
For questions regarding Music Rights, please contact us.