Professional Associations, Are You A Member?

     This week I will cover a bit of information I believe can be helpful for not only fellow publishers and consultants but also independent musicians and managers, who often take on multiple roles in support of fledgling careers. Professional associations can be a great way to network or just show a higher level of dedication and involvement within one's chosen industry; each organization has their own respective set of rules, regulations, and fees, and in return offer their own benefits and support for their respective members. Depending on the industry and organization benefits can include anything from reduced rate health benefits, legal counsel, gatherings for networking, advice, seminars, etc.

     For consultants, one such group with low entry fees and requirements that may suit those just starting out is the International Association of Professional Business Consultants. Beyond common practices such as application approvals, to become a "professional member" of the IAPBC one must agree to operate according to a "code of ethical conduct" put in place by the association. This code of ethics is simple enough and essentially spells out that members agree to deliver professional work at a fair price, on schedule, and without any ethical issues or illegality of purpose. The "benefits" of being a member, quoted directly from the website, are credibility with prospective clients, respect as a professional, credential for your resume, competitive advantage when marketing services, and showing your commitment to a professional code of ethics. Oh, and they even give you a fancy seal to post on your sites and social networks.

     For publishers and/or independent musicians and managers, the National Music Publishers Association is an outstanding group to be a member of.  The NMPA offers a wealth of resources, support and advocacy for intellectual property owners and is also the organization that owns the Harry Fox Agency, which handles the vast amount of mechanical licensing in the United States for CDs and digital. According to their website and guidelines, dues for the NMPA are $100 per year and to be qualify as a member one must be involved in the business of publishing music for at least a full calendar year. In addition, the NMPA is also an organization a publisher or songwriter must be a member of before they can officially be certified gold or platinum, though the accounting is still stated to as being performed by the RIAA. While there is other organizations involved in the process of making it all official and receiving your plaque, this is still obviously an important step.

     The main objectives listed on the site for the NMPA are to "promote, protect, and advance the interest of music's creators" and "to represent its members' property rights on the legislative, litigation, and regulatory fronts." Some of the biggest issues publishers and independent musicians face are piracy and the lag in payments from digital distributors and licensing companies. Some of the "current challenges" that the NMPA is fighting for not only include piracy and getting distributors to pay faster, but also things like better rates on controlled compositions, and collecting new types of royalties as distribution systems, and media as an art form, both evolve. 

     With the sheer number of lobbying dollars being thrown around by record labels, media networks, and other involved parties, it is nice to know there are groups out there fighting just as hard for the rights of creators and intellectual property owners. It is also nice to know there are organizations available for several other sectors of the industry, including the association for consultants shared above that hold their members to strict ethical codes and legal purpose.