Articles PDF
Articles PDF
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
of the
AMERICAN SOCIETY
of
COMPOSERS, AUTHORS
and
PUBLISHERS
ABUSES
Society’s purpose to abolish .................................... I 1(e) 1
ACCOUNTS
Of Society, examined by Finance Committee ...... XIV 1 14-15
ADJOURNMENT
Of the Board, in absence of quorum ...................... IV 1 5
AMENDMENTS
To these Articles ........................................................ XXI 1-4 22-24
ANNUAL MEETING
Business Transacted ................................................... XVIII 2 21
Of Society .................................................................... XVIII 1 20-21
ANNUAL REPORT
Of Chairman of the Board ........................................ VII 13
To Annual Meeting ..................................................... XVIII 2 21
APPLICATION
For membership .......................................................... III 2 3
For membership, false statement ............................ III 8 4
For membership, intent of ........................................ III 3 3
For membership, obligation of Applicant ............. III 5 3-4
APPORTIONMENT
Of royalties .................................................................. XVII 1 19-20
ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS
Renewal of .................................................................. III 5 3-4
Term of ........................................................................ III 5 3--4
To others, limited ....................................................... III 5 3-4
To Society ............................................................ III 5 3-4
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page II
ii
ASSIGNMENT OF ROYALTIES
Generally prohibited, exceptions ......................... XX 4 22
BANKRUPTCY
Of member ........................................................... XX 1&3 21-22
iii
CLASSIFICATION
Records ................................................................ XIV 7 18
COMMITTEES
Absence of member from meetings of ................ XVI 3 19
Appointed and dissolved by Board ...................... V 2 9-10
Executive, powers and duties of .......................... XIV 2 15
Finance, powers and duties of ............................. XIV 1 14-15
General powers and duties of .............................. XVI 19
Meetings of .......................................................... XVI 2 19
Membership, not a disqualification ..................... V 6 11
Minutes of meetings ............................................. XVI 4 19
On Elections ......................................................... IV 4 6-9
Special .................................................................. XV 19
Standing ............................................................... XIV 3 15
Appointment of ............................................. XIV 3 15
Chairman of the Board is ex-officio
member of ..................................................... VII 13
Consist exclusively of members or Officers
or employees of Society ........................ XIV 3 15
Term of .......................................................... XIV 3 15
CONTRACTS
Board has power to make .................................... V 2 9-10
COUNSEL
Appointed by Board ............................................. XI 2 14
General, term indeterminate ................................ XI 2 14
Powers and duties of ............................................ XI 1 14
DECEASED
Composers and authors, successors of ................ III 1A(iii) 2
Members, heirs of ................................................ XX 2 21
DEPOSITARIES
Of Society, selected by Board .............................. V 2 9-10
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page IV
iv
DISTRIBUTION
Of royalties ........................................................... XVII 1 19-20
DURATION
Of Society ............................................................ II 2
ELECTION
Of Board of Review ............................................. XIV 5 16-18
Of Directors ......................................................... IV 1&4 5-9
Of Officers ...........................................................
{IV
VI
2
2
5-6
12
To membership ..................................................... III 4 3
EMPLOYEES
Under control of Board ........................................ V 2 9-10
EXECUTIVE COMMITEE
Appointment ........................................................ XIV 3 15
Powers and duties of ............................................ XIV 2 15
FALSE STATEMENT
In member’s application ...................................... III 8 4
FINANCE COMMITEE
Appointment ........................................................ XIV 3 15
Powers and duties of ............................................ XIV 1 14-15
FOREIGN SOCIETIES
Agreements with .................................................. I 1(k) 2
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page V
FUNDS
General Fund
Definition ...................................................... XXIV 4 25
Unclaimed royalties allotted to ..................... XVII 3 20
Of Society, Board controls ................................... V 2 9-10
Relief Fund ...........................................................
Amount allotted to ......................................... XVII 2 20
Definition ...................................................... XXIV 5 25
Reserve Fund
Amount allotted to ........................................ XVII 1(b)&2 19-20
Definition ...................................................... XXIV 6 25
Right to maintain .......................................... I 1(j) 1
GENERAL MEETINGS
Business transacted at .......................................... XVIII 2 21
Of Society ............................................................ XVIII 1 20-21
HEIRS
Of deceased members .......................................... XX 2 21
HONORARY MEMBERS
Do not hold office, vote or receive royalties ....... III 1B 2-3
Eligibility ............................................................. III 1B 2-3
INDEMNIFICATION
Of Directors and Officers .................................... XXII 24
INSOLVENCY
Of member ........................................................... XX 1&3 21-22
INVESTMENTS
Of Society, Board controls ................................... V 2 9-10
LEGAL MATTERS
Supervised by Counsel ......................................... XI 1 14
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Maintained by Board ........................................... V 2 9-10
LEGISLATION
Foreign ................................................................. I 1(c) 1
Reforms in Intellectual Property Law ................. I 1(b) 1
LICENSES
Granted by members ............................................ III 5 3-4
Granted by Society ............................................... I 1(g) 1
Members’ right to grant directly .......................... III 5 3-4
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page VI
vi
MANAGEMENT
Of Society, vested in Board .................................
{ V
IV
1
1
9
5
MEETINGS
Board of Directors
Annual, to elect officers ................................ IV 2 5-6
Business to be conducted .............................. XIII 14
Four times per year minimum ...................... IV 2 5-6
Notice of, given by Secretary .......................
{ IV
X
2 5-6
13-14
Quorum ......................................................... IV 1 5
Special, how called ....................................... IV 2 5-6
Committees .......................................................... XVI 2 19
General Meetings of Society ............................... XVIII 1&2 20-21
Special Meetings of Society ................................ XVIII 1 20-21
MEMBERSHIP
Application for ..................................................... III 2 3
Application for, intent of ..................................... III 3 3
Discontinuance of ................................................ III 11 5
Division into classes ............................................ III 1 2-3
Election to ............................................................ III 4 3
Expulsion, or suspension of ................................. III 9 4
{ XX
V 9
1
12
21
Honorary .............................................................. III 1B 2-3
Obligation ............................................................ III 5 3-4
Participating ......................................................... III 1A 2
Posthumous .......................................................... XX 2 21
Roll ....................................................................... III 7 4
Successors of deceased composers and authors .. III 1A(iii) 2
Termination of ...................................................... III 5 3-4
Withdrawal from .................................................. III 11 5
MINUTES
Of meetings of Board ........................................... IV 3 6
Of meetings of committees .................................. XVI 4 19
vii
NOMINATING COMMITTEES
For Directors ........................................................ IV 4 6-9
NOTICES
Of Board meetings ............................................... IV 2 5-6
Of meetings, given by Secretary .......................... X 13-14
To members .......................................................... XIX 21
OBJECTS
Of Society ............................................................ I 1 1-2
OFFICE
Vacancy in ............................................................ VI 3 12
OFFICERS
Delegation of powers during suspension or ab-
sence of ......................................................... XII 14
Effect of expulsion or suspension of ................... VI 4 13
Election of ............................................................
{ IV
VI
2
2
5-6
12
Indemnification of ................................................ XXII 24
Of Society ............................................................ VI 1 12
Removal or suspension of .................................... V 5 11
OFFICES
Of Society, in New York City .............................. I 2 2
PIRACIES
Society protects membership against ................... I 1(a) 1
POWERS
Board of Directors ............................................... V 1&2 9-10
viii
PRESIDENT
Former, are ex-officio members of Board ........... IV 1 5
PROPERTY
Of Society, Board controls ................................... V 2 9-10
Real and personal, Society’s right to own ........... I 1(j) 1
PROTECTION
Of members under Copyright Law ...................... I 1(d) 1
PURPOSES
Of Society ............................................................ I 1-2
QUORUM
At Board Meeting ................................................ IV 1 5
Of Committees ..................................................... XVI 1 19
RELIEF FUND
Amount allocated to ............................................. XVII 2 20
Definition ............................................................. XXIV 5 25
REMOVAL
Of Director or Officer .......................................... V 5 11
REPORTS
Annual, of Chairman of the Board ...................... VII 13
Of Board of Directors, at General Membership
Meetings ........................................................ XVIII 2 21
REPRESENTATIVE
Of publisher member ........................................... III 10 4
RESERVE FUND
Amount allotted to ............................................... XVII 1(b) 19
Creation of ........................................................... XVII 2 20
Definition ............................................................. XXIV 6 25
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page IX
ix
ROLL OF MEMBERS
Kept by Society .................................................... III 7 4
ROYALTIES
Apportionment of ................................................. XVII 1 19-20
Assignment of, generally prohibited;
exceptions ..................................................... XX 4 22
Distribution of ...................................................... XVII 1 19-20
Distribution of, vested in Board .......................... V 2 9-10
Unclaimed ............................................................ XVII 3 20
SEAL OF SOCIETY
Adopted by Board ................................................ V 2 9-10
To be affixed by Secretary ................................... X 13-14
SECRETARY
Duties of ............................................................... X 13-14
Election of ............................................................ VI 2 12
Gives notices of meeting of Board ...................... IV 2 5-6
{ X 13-14
SELECTION COMMITTEES
For Directors ........................................................ IV 4 6-9
SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Chairman of the Board appoints .......................... XV 19
SPECIAL MEETINGS
Board of Directors ............................................... IV 2 5-6
Of Society ............................................................ XVIII 1 20-21
SUCCESSORS
Of deceased composers and authors .................... III 1A(iii) 2
Voting by ............................................................... XX 2 21
TERM
Of committees ....................................................... XIV 3 15
Of office of Director ............................................ IV 1 5
Of Society ............................................................ II 2
TREASURER
Election of ............................................................ VI 2 12
Powers and duties of ............................................ IX 13
UNFAIR PRACTICES
Society’s purpose to abolish ................................ I 1(e) 1
VACANCY
Board of Directors ............................................... V 4 10-11
In any office ......................................................... VI 3 12
In committee, on absence of member .................. XVI 3 19
In office, created by expulsion or suspension ..... VI 4 13
WORKS
By member, list of................................................. III 6 4
ARTICLE I
OBJECTS
SECTION 1. We constitute ourselves a voluntary association under the name of
"American society of composers, authors and publishers," for the following purposes,
to-wit:
(a) To protect composers, authors and publishers of musical works against piracies
of any kind;
(c) To procure uniformity and certainty in the law respecting literary property in all
countries;
(d) To facilitate the administration of the copyright laws for the protection of com-
posers, authors and publishers of musical works;
(e) To abolish abuses and unfair practices and methods in connection with the
reproduction of musical works;
(f) To promote and foster by all lawful means the interest of composers, authors
and publishers of musical works;
(g) To grant licenses and collect royalties for the public representation of the works
of its members by instrumentalists, singers, mechanical instruments, radio broadcasting
stations, or any kind of combination of singers, instrumentalists and mechanical instru-
ments, and to allot and distribute such royalties;
(h) To adjust and arbitrate differences and controversies between its members and
between its members and others, and to represent its members in controversies, actions
and proceedings, involving the right of public performance of any work of any member,
or the question of authorship in any work of any member;
(i) To promote friendly intercourse and united action among composers, authors,
publishers and producers of musical works;
(j) To acquire, own and sell real and personal property, and to accumulate and
maintain a Reserve Fund to be used in carrying out any of the objects of the Society;
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 2
(k) To enter into agreements with other similar associations in foreign countries,
providing for the reciprocal protection of the rights of the members of each Society;
(l) To do any and all other acts or things which may be found necessary or con-
venient in carrying out any of the objects of the Society or in protecting or furthering
its interests or the interests of its members.
SECTION 2. The principal office of the Society is to be located in the City of New
York.
ARTICLE II
DURATION
The duration of the Society shall be perpetual.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP. The membership of this Society shall be
divided into two classes, as follows:
A. PARTICIPATING CLASS
The following shall be eligible to be elected to membership in this class:
B. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
Any person, firm or corporation which has rendered to the art or industry of
music, or to this Society, a notable or conspicuous service, may be eligible to mem-
bership in this class and elected thereto by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.
All nominations in respect to this class of membership shall, however, be tabled at the
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 3
meeting first presented, and may not be acted upon until or after the next succeeding
meeting.
Members in this class shall not be entitled to vote, hold office or share in any of
the rights, benefits, privileges, royalties or emoluments of the participating class.
Such assignment shall not limit, restrict or interfere with the right of any member
to issue to a music user* non-exclusive licenses for rights of public performance.
Upon the expiration of such agreement or any renewal thereof, each member
shall execute a new assignment in such form and for such period as the Board of
Directors shall then approve generally for the members of the Society vesting in the
Society the right to license the non-dramatic public performance of the member’s
works. The Board of Directors shall have the right to call upon the members to exe-
cute and deliver to the Society such new assignment within such time as the Board of
Directors sees fit. Any member who fails or refuses to execute and deliver such an
assignment within such time shall automatically cease to be a member of the Society
upon the expiration of the period of the then current assignment, and thereupon shall
lose and cease to have any and all interest, right or claim in, to or under the Society,
the property thereof and the dues and assessments paid thereto, in the same manner
and to the same full extent as provided in Article XX, Section 1 hereof. The Board
* "Music user" means any person that (1) owns or operates an establishment or enterprise where
copyrighted musical compositions are performed publicly, or (2) is otherwise directly engaged in giving
public performances of copyrighted musical compositions
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 4
of Directors, however, shall have the right, at its option, to extend the time period
within which members generally shall execute and deliver such assignment. Such ter-
mination of membership shall not relieve any member from that member’s obliga-
tions to the Society up to the date of such termination.
SECTION 7. MEMBERSHIP ROLL. The Society shall prepare and keep a member-
ship roll or list of its members.
In the event that a writer member and members of the writer member’s immedi-
ate family cumulatively own a controlling interest in any partnership, firm, or corpo-
ration which is a publisher member of the Society, such writer and the publisher mem-
ber’s representative shall not be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors simulta-
neously.
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 5
ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1. MANAGEMENT AND ELECTIONS. The government of the Society shall
be vested in and its affairs shall be managed by a Board of twenty-four Directors,
twelve of whom shall be writer members (that is to say, composers and authors) and
twelve of whom shall be publisher members.
At all times one of such writer members shall be a symphonic and concert writ-
er member, and at all times one of such publisher members shall be a symphonic and
concert publisher. The Board of Directors shall, as far as practicable, represent writ-
er members and publisher members with different participations in the Society’s rev-
enue distributions and who reflect the diversity of the Society’s repertory and mem-
bership.
Commencing with the election in the year 1951 which shall be held not later than
April first of that year, the entire Board of Directors shall be elected for a two-year
period in the manner hereinafter in this Article provided.
There shall not be eligible for election to the Board of Directors as a publisher
member thereof, more than one representative from any group of affiliated publisher
members. By the expression "affiliated" is meant a group of two or more publishing
businesses controlled through stock ownership by any one of such group or all of
which are either directly or indirectly controlled by any other person, co-partnership,
firm, association or corporation.
Twelve members (of whom at least five shall be writers, and five publishers) shall
be necessary to constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of the majority of those
present and voting, but in any event no fewer than eight affirmative votes, shall be
sufficient to adopt or pass any motion or resolution authorizing or directing any act or
thing within the power of the Board. Any number less than a quorum may meet and
adjourn from time to time until a quorum be present.
The Board may determine the rules of its procedure and make any and all regu-
lations necessary for the carrying on of the business of the Board of Directors and the
Officers, agents, and servants of the Society.
SECTION 2. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD. The Board shall meet at least four times
each year and shall hold a meeting in each year in which the Board shall be elected,
after the General Annual Meeting in March or April, for the purpose of electing
Officers. Notices of regular or Special Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be
given by the Chairman of the Board or the Secretary to each Director in such form as
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 6
the Board of Directors may prescribe, at least two days previous to the time fixed for
the meeting. Special Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the
Chairman of the Board or Secretary, and shall be called by either of them on written
request of any seven Directors.
(a) The Chairman of the Board shall appoint two Selection Committees of the
Board, one consisting of three writers and one consisting of three publishers. The
Selection Committees shall be appointed no fewer than forty-five days prior to the
date of the General Annual Meeting.
(b) The Writers Selection Committee and the Publishers Selection Committee
shall each select a Nominating Committee of five writer or publisher members,
respectively, who are not Board members, and who do not intend to be considered for
election to the Board (the Writers Nominating Committee and Publishers Nominating
Committee, respectively). The Selection Committees shall choose members of the
Nominating Committees mindful of the diversity of the Society’s membership and
repertory. The Nominating Committees shall be appointed no fewer than thirty days
prior to the date of the General Annual Meeting.
(e) In any election for the Board of Directors, the candidates for Directors shall
include, in addition to those candidates chosen by the Nominating Committees, any
person eligible to be a Director who is designated by a petition subscribed to by the
members of the Society entitled to elect such Director who comprise at least five-
eighths of one percent (5/8%) of the total writer or publisher members of the Society,
as the case may be, provided such petition is submitted to the Society in writing no
later than December 31 prior to the election. A maximum of three such writer and
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 7
three such publisher candidates shall be nominated in any one election for the Board
of Directors, as determined by the order in which such valid petitions are submitted
to the Society.
(g) The Committee on Elections shall prepare a ballot in such form as shall be
approved by the Board of Directors, showing in respect of each vacancy the class or
division of membership from which the nominee must be chosen, the name of the pre-
sent incumbent if a candidate, together with a statement on the ballot that each incum-
bent’s name is placed thereon by mandate of the Articles of Association; the ballot for
publisher nominees shall also designate one additional candidate and that for writer
nominees two additional candidates; both forms of ballot shall contain a suitable blank
space wherein any member may write in the name of any member of the specified class
or division for whom the member votes instead of or in preference to the regular nom-
inees.
Ballots shall be consecutively numbered, and shall provide a space for signature
of the voting member. One ballot, and one only, shall be made available for the use of
each active member in good standing except that lost, misplaced, mutilated or
destroyed ballots may be replaced in the sole discretion of the Committee on Elections.
One ballot shall be mailed to each such member, at the member’s last address as dis-
closed by the records of the Society, and may in addition be distributed by such other
means as the Committee shall prescribe, not less than twenty days before the date of
the General Annual Meeting. Each such ballot mailed shall be accompanied by a
postage prepaid envelope addressed to the Committee on Elections in care of the
Society. Each qualified member may cast his, her or its vote by mail or personal deliv-
ery to the Committee, or by such other means as the Committee shall prescribe. All
votes must be thus cast and received not later than midnight five days before the date
set for the General Annual Meeting. Votes received thereafter shall not be counted.
The Committee shall appoint its choice of tellers, exclusive of members of the
Board of Directors or any candidate, and shall make all rules for totaling, tabulating
and counting the votes cast. It shall be privileged to call upon the management and
staff of the Society for any required assistance.
The candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be deemed elect-
ed. In case of a tie between the two highest, the candidate who has been longest a
member of the Society shall be declared elected.
The Committee on Elections after canvassing the vote, shall by written certificate
presented to the Chairman of the Board not later than the opening of the General
Annual Meeting, certify the names of the winning candidates together with a state-
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 8
All ballots, tally sheets and other memoranda, incident to the tabulation of the
votes shall be retained for thirty days and be available for examination or recount by
any committee of not less than five members in good standing; provided, however,
that only one such examination or recount shall be performed for any election, and
provided further that, in the event such examination or recount fails to change the out-
come of such election, the cost of the examination or recount shall be borne by the
members requesting it.
(h) Publisher members only shall be entitled to vote for publisher Directors.
Writer members only shall be entitled to vote for writer Directors.
(i) Voting rights of all members within their respective classes in elections of
Directors, shall be determined upon the following basis, subject to the limitation that
no member shall have more than 100 votes:
Publisher Members
Each publisher member who has received any performance credits in the
latest available preceding fiscal survey year shall have one vote, plus (i) one vote
for each 3,600 credits up to 90,000 credits, plus (ii) one vote for each 7,200 credits
from 90,001 to 126,000 credits, plus (iii) one vote for each 10,800 credits from
126,001 to 180,000 credits, plus (iv) one vote for each 14,400 credits from 180,001
to 367,200 credits, plus (v) one vote for each 18,000 credits in excess of 367,200
credits.
The above formulae shall be adjusted proportionally in the event that total writer
performance credits differ by more than ten percent (10%) from 25,000,000, or total
publisher performance credits differ by more than ten percent (10%) from
28,000,000, during the latest available fiscal survey year preceding the election in
question.
If at any time more than forty and eight-tenths percent (40.8%) of the total pub-
lisher votes would be represented by the ten publisher members and "groups of affil-
iated publisher members" (as that term is used in Article IV, Section 1 hereof) having
the highest number of publisher votes, the weighting of votes as set forth in the above
formula for publisher members shall be changed to bring the percentage of votes of
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 9
such publishers down to forty and eight-tenths percent (40.8%). This shall be accom-
plished by proportionately diminishing the votes otherwise allocable to such publish-
ers by the amounts necessary to effect such result. Anything to the contrary notwith-
standing, a publisher member which is not subject to such diminution of its votes shall
not be allocated more votes than any publisher member which is subject to such
diminution.
A member who received no performance credits in the latest available fiscal sur-
vey year shall not be entitled to vote in an election for Directors.
ARTICLE V
POWERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1. MANAGEMENT. The Board of Directors shall have charge of and
supervision over the general management of the business of the Society, and in addi-
tion to the powers by these Articles expressly conferred upon it, may exercise all such
powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Society.
To purchase or otherwise acquire for the Society any property, rights and privi-
leges which the Society is authorized to acquire, at such prices and on such terms and
conditions, and for such considerations, as it thinks fit.
To confer by resolution upon any committee or Officer of the Society the right to
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 10
10
From time to time to provide for the management of the affairs of the Society in
such manner as it thinks fit, and in particular from time to time to delegate any of the
powers of the Board of Directors to any committees, Officers or agents, and to
appoint any persons to be the agents of the Society, with such powers (including the
power to sub-delegate) and upon such terms as may be thought fit.
To appoint and dissolve all committees; to define, alter and regulate the jurisdic-
tion and exercise original and supervisory jurisdiction over any and all subjects and
matters referred to said committees; to direct and control their actions or proceedings
at any stage thereof.
To seek the expulsion of any member on the grounds set forth in Article III,
Section 8, or in Section 8 of this Article, or on the following grounds, upon compli-
ance with the procedures set forth in Section 9 of this Article: (a) making a false or
misleading statement on a material point to the Society; (b) criminal activity; (c) fail-
ure to comply with the rules, regulations, requirements and obligations of member-
ship; (d) harassment or endangering the welfare of the Society or its members; (e)
frivolous actions causing the Society or its members undue expense.
The Board of Directors shall have the power to make such regulations and to take
such action not inconsistent with the Articles of Association and the by-laws, as it
may deem advisable for the protection of the property and for the general objects of
the Society. It shall adopt a seal of the Society.
The Board of Directors shall have the control over and power of disposition of all
funds belonging to the Society. It shall determine the manner and form of their invest-
ment and the depositaries of such funds.
If any member of the Board of Directors shall be absent from three consecutive
regular meetings of the Board of Directors, the Board shall thereupon remove such
absentee Director from office as a Director and from any other office held by that
Director. The Board of Directors shall appoint a successor as provided in Section 4
of this Article. Such member shall not, however, be disqualified from filling the
vacancy thereby created.
11
election of his or her successor at the next General Annual Meeting held for the elec-
tion of Directors generally. At such meeting a Director shall be elected of the same
class of Directors as the member of the Board whose place is to be filled, for the unex-
pired term, in the manner provided for the election of Directors.
The Board of Directors may suspend from office any Officer or Director against
whom charges have been preferred.
12
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY
SECTION 1. OFFICERS. The Society’s Officers shall consist of a Chairman of the
Board, two Vice Chairmen of the Board, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Chairman
and Vice Chairmen shall be Directors; the Secretary and Treasurer need not be
Directors.
13
He or she shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors and
of the Society are carried into effect and shall sign all contracts and agreements autho-
rized by the Board of Directors, unless the Board shall otherwise direct. The
Chairman of the Board shall submit to the Board of Directors, as soon as may be after
the close of each fiscal year, and to the members at each annual meeting, a complete
report of the operations of the Society for the preceding year, and of the state of its
affairs, making such recommendations as he or she thinks proper, and shall from time
to time report to the Board of Directors all matters within his or her knowledge which
the interests of the members may require to be brought to its notice. The Chairman
of the Board shall be ex-officio a member of all Standing Committees.
ARTICLE VIII
THE VICE
CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD
The Vice Chairmen of the Board shall have such powers and perform such duties
as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe, and perform such other
duties as may be prescribed in these Articles. One Vice Chairman shall be a writer
and one Vice Chairman shall be a publisher. In case of the absence of the Chairman
of the Board or the Chairman’s inability to act, the writer Vice Chairman shall dis-
charge the duties of the Chairman of the Board.
ARTICLE IX
THE TREASURER
The Treasurer may be an employee of the Society. The Treasurer shall be respon-
sible for insuring that proper financial controls are instituted by management, and
shall from time to time report to the Board of Directors on the financial condition of
the Society as the Board shall direct.
ARTICLE X
THE SECRETARY
The Secretary may be an employee of the Society. He or she shall be ex-officio
Secretary of the Board of Directors and shall record all the votes and proceedings of
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 14
14
the meetings of the Society, and of the Board of Directors in a book or books. He or
she shall record all the votes and proceedings of the General Meetings of the Society.
When authorized by the Board of Directors he or she shall affix the Society’s seal to
any instrument requiring the same. The seal of the Society, so affixed, shall always
be attested by the signature of the Secretary. He or she shall give notice of all meet-
ings of the Society, and of the Directors, and of all calls for assessments to be paid by
the members. The Secretary shall also have such other powers and perform such
other duties as pertain to that office, or as the Board of Directors may from time to
time prescribe.
ARTICLE XI
THE COUNSEL
SECTION 1. The Counsel shall be the legal adviser of the Society, the Board and
the various committees. He or she shall have supervision of all matters involving
legal questions, and shall appear for the Society in all actions or proceedings.
SECTION 2. The Counsel shall be appointed by the Board of Directors for such
term as may be decided by the Board.
ARTICLE XII
ABSENCE OR SUSPENSION OF OFFICER
In case of the absence of the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the
Board, the Secretary, or the Treasurer, or in case of the suspension of any such Officer
pending trial on charges, the Board may delegate his or her powers and duties to any
other Officer, or to any Director for the time being.
ARTICLE XIII
BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED AT
DIRECTORS’ MEETING
A quorum being present, the Chairman of the Board shall call the meeting of the
Board of Directors to order.
ARTICLE XIV
STANDING COMMITTEES
AND BOARD OF REVIEW
15
in the manner directed by the Board, and this or such other committee as may be
appointed, shall examine all accounts of the Society at the close of each fiscal year
and at such other times as may be deemed necessary, and report thereon.
SECTION 4. PROTESTS. Any member who believes that the Society has not made
proper distribution of royalties to him, her or it in accordance with the rules and reg-
ulations adopted by the Board of Directors governing distribution of royalties may
give notice to that effect in writing to the Secretary of the Society, stating that the
member proposes to protest to the Board of Review and setting forth the grounds for
complaint. The Board of Review shall entertain the member’s complaint and give the
member an opportunity to appear in person, or by any other person of the member’s
selection, including a member of the Society, if the member so desires, or to present
the member’s complaint in writing or both, as the Board of Review shall determine.
The Board of Review shall also give a representative of the Society duly appointed
by the Board of Directors an opportunity to appear in the same fashion as it afforded
the protesting member, to respond to the member’s complaint.
The Board of Review shall determine its own procedures, and shall inform both
the protesting member and the Society of those procedures upon receiving the protest-
ing member’s complaint.
The Board of Review shall set forth in detail its findings of fact and the grounds
for its decision. Stenographic transcripts of each proceeding before the Board of
Review shall, at the request of the protesting member, be supplied by the Society to
such member at cost. If the Society itself requires or makes use of the transcript, the
member shall pay only the cost of making a second copy. Copies of any decision of
the Board of Review (or of the Panel specified below) shall, at the request of any
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 16
16
member, be supplied by the Society to such member at no cost; the Board of Review
(or the Panel, as the case may be) may redact from such copies of its decisions any
confidential information, as may be requested by the protesting member or the
Society.
The decision of the Board of Review shall be deemed final unless either the mem-
ber or the Society files a notice of appeal in writing with the Secretary of the Society
within thirty days after receiving written notice of such decision; in such case all evi-
dence taken before the Board of Review shall be referred to the Panel provided for in
Section 6 of this Article.
The Panel, after considering any such appeal, may reverse or modify the decision
of the Board of Review by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the Panel and in its
discretion may impose costs. If less than two-thirds of the Panel vote for reversal or
modification, the decision of the Board of Review shall be affirmed. The decision of
the Panel shall be conclusive and final, and neither the protesting member nor the
Society shall have the right of any further recourse, including recourse to the courts.
Any additional amounts finally determined by the Board of Review (or, in case
of appeal, by the Panel) to be due a member with respect to the distribution com-
plained of by such member and all subsequent distributions to the date of the decision
shall be paid to the member promptly after the rendering of such decision.
If any member of the Board of Review wishes to assert a grievance of the class
described in this Section 4, that member shall have the right to protest to the Board of
Directors which for purposes of such protest shall act as the Board of Review; the
Board of Directors may name a committee of not less than eight of its members, four
of whom shall be writers and four of whom shall be publishers, to hear and decide
such protest.
SECTION 5. BOARD OF REVIEW. (1) Commencing with the election in the year
2002, and every four years thereafter, there shall be elected for a four-year period
from the general membership a Board of Review consisting of four writer members
(two authors and two composers, one of whom shall be a symphonic and concert writ-
er) and four publisher members (one of whom shall be a symphonic and concert pub-
lisher). In addition, there shall be elected one alternate in each class and division (i.e.,
popular-production writer; symphonic and concert writer; popular-production pub-
lisher; and symphonic and concert publisher). Each alternate shall be given notice of
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 17
17
all meetings of the Board of Review and shall attend such meetings in the absence of
a member in the class and division to which that alternate member shall be elected as
such alternate. No member of the Board of Directors nor any representative of a pub-
lisher member affiliated with any publisher member (as defined in Article IV, Section
1) having a representative on the Board of Directors, shall be eligible to serve on the
Board of Review. The four writer members shall be elected by all writer members
entitled to vote and the four publisher members shall be elected by all publisher mem-
bers entitled to vote.
(2) Commencing with the election in the year 1996, members of the Board of
Review shall be elected in the following manner:
(c) Ballots shall be numbered, distributed and returned in the manner prescribed
in Article IV, Section 4, subdivision (g).
(d) All votes must be cast and received not later than forty-five days after the
ballot shall have been distributed by the Committee on Elections. Votes received
thereafter shall not be counted.
(e) The Committee on Elections shall conduct the election, tabulate votes and
determine the person elected and retain tally sheets and other data as provided in
Article IV, Section 4, subdivision (g).
(f) The Committee on Elections, after canvassing the vote, shall by written cer-
tificate presented to the Chairman of the Board not later than fifty days after such bal-
lots shall be mailed by it, certify the names of the winning candidates together with a
statement showing the number of votes cast for each candidate.
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 18
18
(g) Publisher members only shall be entitled to vote for members of the Board
of Review from this class and writer members only for members of the Board of
Review from this class. All voting writer members, whether author or composer, shall
be qualified to vote for writer members of the Board of Review.
(h) Voting rights of all members within their respective classes in elections of
members of the Board of Review shall be upon the basis specified in Article IV,
Section 4, subdivision (i).
(3) Commencing with the election in the year 1963, six members of the Board
of Review shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of those
present shall be required for a decision pursuant to Section 4 of this Article. In the
event of an equally divided vote, the Board of Review shall certify the complaint to
the Panel and its decision shall be binding, final and conclusive.
(4) The Chairman of the Board of Review (or in case of a tie vote a member of
the Board of Review representing each of the views of that body) may appear before
the Panel upon any appeal from a decision of the Board of Review to the Panel.
(5) Commencing with the election in the year 1964, in the case of the death,
removal or resignation of a member of the Board of Review, such vacancy shall be
filled by the duly elected alternate in the appropriate class and division, or in the event
of failure or refusal of such alternate to serve, then by the election of a member
belonging to the same class and division as the member whose place is to be filled,
by a three-fourths vote of the entire Board of Review, the term of office of such newly
elected member to be for the balance of the term of the replaced member.
(6) Members of the Board of Review as such shall not receive any salaries for
their services.
SECTION 6. PANEL. (1) The Panel designated in Section 4 of this Article shall
consist of three Arbitrators appointed as provided in the Rules of the American
Arbitration Association.
(2) All proceedings before the Panel shall be conducted in New York City.
(3) The Board of Directors shall adopt such regulations or take such other action
as may be necessary or proper to carry into effect the foregoing provisions in confor-
mity with the Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
SECTION 8. OMBUDSMEN. The Board of Directors shall name at least two qual-
ified independent persons, at least one of whom shall reside in the Eastern half and
one of whom shall reside in the Western half of the United States, to the position of
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 19
19
Ombudsmen for a term to be set by the Board of Directors. The Ombudsmen shall
periodically examine the design and conduct of the survey and report thereon to the
Board of Directors. The Ombudsmen shall be available for consultation with mem-
bers and shall give the Board of Directors their independent advice based on such
consultations.
ARTICLE XV
SPECIAL COMMITTEES
The Chairman of the Board shall appoint Special Committees as he or she sees fit.
Any member may bring any matter to the attention of the Board of Directors by
submitting such matter, in writing, to the Chairman of the Board.
ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL POWERS AND
DUTIES OF COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. QUORUM OF COMMITTEES. A majority of each committee shall con-
stitute a quorum thereof.
(a) That all expenses of operation of the Society shall be deducted therefrom and
duly paid;
(b) That the Board of Directors, by two-thirds vote of those present at any regu-
lar meeting may add to the Reserve Fund any portion not exceeding ten percent (10%)
of the total amount available for distribution;
(c) That the net amount remaining after such deduction for distribution shall be
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 20
20
(d) That in making such distributions, the writer Directors of the Board shall
determine the basis (including rates and formulae) for distributions to writer mem-
bers, and the publisher Directors of the Board shall determine the basis (including
rates and formulae) for distributions to publisher members; such bases shall reflect the
assessment by the writer or publisher Directors of the Board, as the case may be, of
the value to the Society’s repertory of the performances of the works composed, writ-
ten or published, all to be determined in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner; and
(e) That in making such distributions, primary consideration shall be given to the
performance of the compositions of members as indicated by objective surveys of
performances (excluding those licensed by the member directly) periodically made by
or for the Society.
ARTICLE XVIII
MEETINGS
SECTION 1. GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY. The Society shall hold one or
more General Meetings each year: a General Annual Meeting to be held during the
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 21
21
months of March or April, and, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, addition-
al General Membership Meetings. The General Meetings shall be held in locations to
be determined by the Board of Directors. Special Meetings may be called at any time
by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XIX
NOTICES
Whenever notice is required to be given to any member, such notice shall be
given in a manner authorized by the Board of Directors, in accordance with applica-
ble law.
ARTICLE XX
MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS
SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS IN CERTAIN CASES. Any member who is
expelled by the Board of Directors, or who is dropped for the nonpayment of dues,
fines or assessments, shall thereupon lose and forfeit any and all interest, right or
claim in, to or under the Society, the property thereof, and the dues and assessments
paid thereto. Upon expulsion, bankruptcy, insolvency or other severance of member-
ship in, or connection with, the Society, all rights and interests of whatsoever charac-
ter, sort or kind, to, of, in or concerning the Society by virtue of such membership,
shall instantly cease and be of no further force and effect. Expulsion shall not relieve
any member from that member’s obligations to the Society up to the date of such
expulsion.
SECTION 2. POSTHUMOUS MEMBERSHIP. On the death of any member, his or her
rights in the Society, except as hereinafter provided, shall be vested in his or her heirs,
legatees or other persons who have acquired, by will or under any law, the right, title
and interest of the member in any of his or her musical works, including the right of
public performance thereof. Such heirs, legatees or other persons shall receive a share
in royalty distributions in accordance with the provisions of these Articles of
Association and the applicable rules governing distribution.
In cases where the person(s) entitled to such share in royalty distributions is the
deceased member’s surviving spouse, child(ren), grandchild(ren) (on a per stirpes
basis), parent(s), brother(s) or sister(s), as the case may be, such person(s) shall have
the same voting power as "composer-author" members to the extent of such surviv-
ing spouse’s, child(ren)’s, grandchild(ren)’s (on a per stirpes basis), parent(s)’, broth-
er(s)’ or sister(s)’, participation in the Society’s distribution of domestic royalties dur-
ing the previous calendar year, but shall not be eligible to hold office in the Society.
No other successor of a deceased composer-author shall be entitled to vote or hold
office in the Society.
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 22
22
The representative of any publisher member who shall be a member of the Board
of Directors may upon the happening of any such contingencies be dropped from the
Board of Directors in the sole discretion of the Board.
ARTICLE XXI
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1. (a) The Board of Directors may, upon a two-thirds vote of the entire
Board, propose amendment of the Articles of Association. All such proposed amend-
ments shall be submitted to the membership for approval in accordance with this
Article.
(b) Any member may propose amendment of the Articles of Association by sub-
mitting a written copy of such proposed amendment to the Board of Directors at any
time. If two-thirds of the Board of Directors shall approve of such proposed amend-
ment, it shall be submitted to the membership in accordance with Section 2 of this
Article. If, however, two-thirds of the Board of Directors shall not approve of such
proposed amendment, the same shall not be submitted to the membership.
23
suant to Section 1(a) of this Article or proposed and approved pursuant to Section 1(b)
of this Article shall promptly thereafter be embodied in a ballot and mailed or dis-
tributed by such other means as the Board of Directors may prescribe to each and
every voting member of the Society. The ballot shall be in such form as shall be
approved by the Board of Directors. Ballots shall be consecutively numbered and
shall provide a space for signature of the voting member. One ballot and one only
shall be made available for the use of each active member in good standing except
that lost, misplaced, mutilated or destroyed ballots may be replaced in the sole dis-
cretion of the Board of Directors or such committee as it may designate for that pur-
pose.
One ballot shall be mailed to each such member at such member’s last address as
disclosed by the records of the Society, and may in addition be distributed by such
other means as the Board of Directors may prescribe. Each such ballot mailed shall
be accompanied by a postage-prepaid envelope addressed to the Board of Directors
or such Officer or committee as it may designate.
Each qualified member may cast his, her or its vote by mail, by personal deliv-
ery, or by such other means as the Board of Directors may prescribe. All votes must
be thus cast and received not later than forty-five days after the ballot shall have been
mailed or otherwise distributed. Votes received after such forty-five-day period shall
not be counted.
The Board of Directors or any committee designated by it for that purpose shall
appoint its choice of teller and shall make all rules for totaling, tabulating and count-
ing the votes cast. It shall be privileged to call upon the management and staff of the
Society for any required assistance.
The voting rights of all members within their respective groups shall be weight-
ed upon the same basis as in the case of election of Directors and as set forth in Article
IV, Section 4, subdivision (i) thereof.
In order to effectuate the counting of each group for fifty percent (50%), the total
votes cast in each group in favor of the amendment shall be divided by the total num-
ber of votes cast by each respective group and the fraction arrived at in the foregoing
manner with respect to the composer-author member group and the fraction so arrived
at with respect to the publisher-member group shall be added together. The result of
such addition shall be divided by two.
If (i) such division shall result in a fraction representing two-thirds or more, and
(ii) such total number of votes cast by each respective group shall represent not less
than thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%) of the total number of votes of all
members of such respective group if all such members had exercised their right to
vote, and (iii) a majority of the votes cast by each respective group is in favor of the
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 24
24
The Board of Directors shall certify the result of such voting not later than thirty
days after the expiration of the period within which ballots may be cast, that the
amendment has carried or failed, as the case may be, and such amendment shall
become effective immediately unless some other period shall have been stated in the
amendment.
SECTION 4. All ballots, tally sheets and other memoranda, incident to the tabu-
lation of the votes shall be retained for thirty days and be available for examination
or recount by any committee of not less than five members in good standing; provid-
ed, however, that only one such examination or recount shall be performed for any
election, and provided further that, in the event such examination or recount fails to
change the outcome of such vote, the cost of the examination or recount shall be borne
by the members requesting it.
ARTICLE XXII
INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The Society shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who has served or
shall hereafter serve as a Director or Officer of the Society from and against any and
all claims and liabilities to which such person shall have or may become subject by
reason of such person’s having heretofore or hereafter been a Director or Officer of
the Society or by reason of any action alleged to have been heretofore or hereafter
taken or omitted by such person as such Director or Officer, and shall reimburse each
such person for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by such person in
connection with any such claim or liability; provided, however, that no such person
shall be indemnified against, or be reimbursed for any expense incurred in connection
with, any claim or liability arising out of such person’s own gross negligence or will-
ful misconduct. The rights accruing to any person under the foregoing provisions of
this Article shall not exclude any other right to which such person may be lawfully
entitled, nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Society to indem-
nify or reimburse such person in any proper case even though not specifically herein
provided for. The Society, its Directors, Officers, employees and agents, shall be fully
protected in taking any action or making any payment under this Article, or in refus-
ing so to do, in reliance upon the advice of counsel.
ARTICLE XXIII
TERMINATION OF REQUIRED
REPRESENTATION OF
SYMPHONIC AND CONCERT WRITER
MEMBERS AND SYMPHONIC
AND CONCERT PUBLISHER MEMBERS
SECTION 1. If at any general election for members of the Board of Directors, the
aggregate of the weighted votes to which all the symphonic and concert writer mem-
bers as a group shall be entitled shall amount to fifty percent (50%) or more of the
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 25
25
aggregate of the weighted votes to which all the writer members shall be entitled, then
and thereafter the right of the symphonic and concert writer members to have any
specified representation in accordance with the provisions of these Articles, shall for-
ever cease and terminate.
SECTION 2. If at any general election for members of the Board of Directors, the
aggregate of the weighted votes to which all the symphonic and concert publisher
members as a group shall be entitled shall amount to fifty percent (50%) or more of
the aggregate of the weighted votes to which all the publisher members shall be enti-
tled, then and thereafter the right of the symphonic and concert publisher members to
have any specified representation in accordance with the provisions of these Articles,
shall forever cease and terminate.
ARTICLE XXIV
DEFINITIONS
As used in these Articles, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
SECTION 1. The term "writer member" shall be deemed to refer to composer and
author members.
SECTION 2. The terms "symphonic and concert writer" or "symphonic and con-
cert publisher" shall refer to a writer or publisher whose performance credits are
derived primarily from the performance of, and whose creative work or business (as
the case may be) is concerned primarily with, symphonic and concert works.
SECTION 4. The term "General Fund" shall refer to the depository of all receipts,
including unclaimed royalties. It is from this fund that all distributions are made and
all expenses are paid.
SECTION 5. The term "Relief Fund" shall refer to the depository consisting of a
portion of the Society’s revenues, in such amount as may be determined by the Board
of Directors. At the discretion of the Board, distributions may be made from this
Fund to members of the Society, their surviving spouses, infant children or indigent
parents in cases of urgent necessity; the Society does not vouchsafe to its members
the right to receive such assistance.
SECTION 6. The term "Reserve Fund" shall refer to the depository of funds set
aside from the General Fund, in such amount as may be determined by the Board, in
accordance with these Articles.
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 26
K-5505576 10/2/02 2:55 PM Page 27