Because it contributes to the atmosphere, according to **Ruminator **in post 22. Why does the doctor play the music? Presumably for the benefit of his clients, which therefore benefits him. Happy clients tend to come back.
Unless, again as noted by Ruminator, the playing of music is entirely incidental to doing business - the receptionist has a personal radio playing, or somesuch.
Actually, while we’re on the subject, is there an analogous royalty situation for TV and film? Like, if the OP’s waiting room has a TV, is she supposed to pay the… BVI (or whatever) $200 to cover episodes of Jerry Springer that may air?
Don’t forget SESAC a lot of European and Country Music falls under them and not BMI or ASCAP. Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan are probably the biggest two of SESAC’s lineup
One summer during college I worked for ASCAP. We would go into bars, offices, hotels and such and count the number of peope to chairs, etc, and determain if the place not only had a license but the right type of license too.
Cool job
That’s not what he was asking about.
BTW, I am a she, not a he.
This has been very enlightening. Now that I know that XM for business is not prohibitively expensive, that will probably be what I go with. It will provide me with commercial-free music, and keep me legal at the same time.