# Music fee fraud



## tigerwillow1 (Jan 26, 2009)

The Sirius Terms and Conditions say "...Packages which include music channels will be charged a U.S. Music Royalty Fee." I signed up for an ala carte package and included no music channels, but Sirius is charging the royalty fee anyway. When I called up to ask why, the response was that with ala carte I _could_ choose music stations, and therefore have the fee added. I consider this a lie and fraud, and is the sort of behavior that drives customers away. I'm a one month customer that's already ticked off, caring as much about them as they do about me.


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

Even the talk channels use music to go into and come out of commercial breaks, and that music is seldom (if ever) public domain.

Copywrited instrumentals are often used on sports broadcasts.

It seems to me that every subscriber, regardless of package, should pay the fee.


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## the_batman (Sep 20, 2007)

Music Royalty Fees should be payed for by the station broadcasters not the listeners.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

http://www.xmradio.com/about/musicroyalty.xmc

(You can thank the Librarian of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/crb/ )


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

paulman182 said:


> Even the talk channels use music to go into and come out of commercial breaks, and that music is seldom (if ever) public domain.
> 
> Copywrited instrumentals are often used on sports broadcasts.
> 
> It seems to me that every subscriber, regardless of package, should pay the fee.


But from the FAQ:



> 5. Do all SIRIUS XM subscribers pay the same fee?
> 
> All subscribers who receive a given package containing music pay the same fee. We believe charging each SIRIUS XM subscriber the same fee most equitably apportions the increased fees to subscribers. *Note: some packages, such as News, Sports and Talk contain little music and are not subject to the U.S. Music Royalty Fee (Emphasis Added)*.


Seems the OP may have a legit gripe.


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## jamieh1 (May 1, 2003)

With the merger they had to agree to not increasing prices for a certain time.
By charging a music fee this is a way around that.


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## bluedogok (Sep 9, 2006)

the_batman said:


> Music Royalty Fees should be payed for by the station broadcasters not the listeners.


Ultimately the listeners (i.e. paying customers for a subscription service) end up paying any fee that is forced upon the broadcasters whether it is specified or not. I still think it is wrong that satellite radio pays significantly more in rights fees than the terrestrial broadcasters.


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## dave1234 (Oct 9, 2005)

FWIW XMRadio is not a "broadcaster".


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

I have been fighting XM for three months since I canceled my account. They keep sending me a $9.98 bill every month. They canceled my account and I verified it is turned off (only gets channel 1). Three different people have told me my account is closed and I don't owe anything, yet they keep billing me. I guess I just get to keep calling every month until they stop sending it.


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