::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.   (APRIL 15, 2020)   —  Performing Rights Organizations, including the  American Society of Composers ,  Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) ,  Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) , and  SESAC  have announced today that they are contributing to create a special fund as part of the MusiCares ®   COVID-19 Relief Fund  to support music creators who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic. While the COVID-19 Relief Fund was created to help all music industry workers in need, the funds collected from the PROs will be focused on helping their respective songwriters, composers and lyricists. Members and affiliates of each contributing PRO are encouraged to apply for a grant through the COVID-19 relief fund via  www.musicares.org . Since the fund's establishment in March, with initial seed donations of $1 million each by MusiCares and the Recording Academy, millions more have been raised with the support of numerous partners...

Today, Harvey Mason, Jr., Interim Chair and CEO of the Recording Academy expressed thanks to Congress for including musicians in the historic Coronavirus bail out plan. While the details are still pending, the Stimulus package includes  support for  out-of-work music professionals, many of whom are independent, self-employed people who were like any other business that lost the ability to make a living.  In fact, House Democrats had the arts as a whole in mind, setting aside millions for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in our nation's capitol. Sean Hannity of FOX News was critical of the president ear marking fund in the stimulus deal for the Kennedy Center, but Trump defended his decision to support it saying in a pres briefing,"I approved that," Mr. Trump said without missing a beat, saying he's a fan of the arts. "The Kennedy Center has suffered greatly, because nobody can go there - it's essentially closed." Trump approved $25 million of ...