[BC] Music rights: the industry vs Pandora?

[Rob Landry]

On Thu, 28 Jun 2012, James B. Potter wrote:

>Know what the larger fear is? That Pandora is buying-up all the music
>licenses from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC -- just a rumor now -- so if they own
>the songs we play, will we be paying royalties to Pandora also?

My understanding is that ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC merely represent the copyright holders, which are various composers, publishers, etc. Pandora would have to buy the rights from myriad individual owners, and I imagine that would trigger some action by the antitrust watchdogs.

Does Pandora make any money? The last I heard, they were running in the red.

Rob