BMG publishing chief Jim Selby elected to ASCAP board

BMG publishing chief Jim Selby has been elected to the board of ASCAP, the American organisation that collects royalties when songs are played on radio, in venues and on streaming services.

The election was announced on September 24 by ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board Paul Williams, Music Business Worldwide reported. Selby joins as a publisher member, the seat held by music publishing executives rather than songwriters. ASCAP confirmed the result in a press release titled "Jim Selby Elected to ASCAP Board of Directors." The press release was published on September 24. The organisation counts more than one million members, a mix of songwriters, composers and publishers.

Trade publications MusicRow and HitsDailyDouble also reported the election on September 24. Both identified him in his BMG publishing role.

Selby is President, Global Music Publishing at BMG, where he leads the company's worldwide music publishing business, the operation that administers song rights and collects royalties for writers. He took up the post after the combination of Concord and BMG was completed on September 1. Bob Valentine was named chief executive of the combined BMG company. ASCAP's governance page lists Selby as a publisher board member and notes that he leads BMG's worldwide publishing operation, according to ASCAP.

Before BMG, Selby served as Chief Publishing Officer at Concord, the independent music company now combined with BMG. His earlier roles there spanned General Manager of Record Labels, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Revenue Officer, covering both recordings and business operations. Earlier in his career, he served as chief executive and General Manager of Naxos of America, the United States arm of the classical music group.

He brings long trade-body experience to the board role. Selby is a former Chairman of the board of A2IM, the American association for independent labels. He serves on the executive board of the NMPA, the United States music publishers' association that advocates for song publishers and songwriters in Washington. His other industry posts include the board of the ICMP, the global confederation for music publishers, and the CPC board of CMRRA, the Canadian agency that licenses reproduction of songs.

What makes this stand out is the timing. Selby joins the ASCAP board only weeks into his BMG tenure, as the new combined company settles its leadership. For listeners, there is no change to what plays on radio or on playlists. The work is behind the scenes, tracking where songs are used and moving royalties back to the people who wrote them.