There has been considerable discussion—and some confusion—about the future of music rights for public media stations. The University Station Alliance (U:SA) has prepared this document to summarize two key areas:

  1. What We Know
  2. What Is Likely to Happen

All information presented here is believed to be accurate as of this writing. U:SA will provide updates as new developments emerge. If you have additional information to contribute to this knowledge base, please contact me at: executive.director@us-alliance.org or (727) 421-6214.

What We Know

  • All copyrighted music used for broadcast is covered by the public broadcasting music license granted by Congress in 1976. Music bed use is also included.
  • The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)—the funder and manager for public media music rights—will dissolve by the end of January 2026.
  • CPB has paid all required licensing fees through the end of 2025.
  • Very important: Sources tell U:SA that CPB has agreed to pay for music rights for calendar year 2026. This means that stations will not have to budget for these rights payments for the coming calendar year.
    • These same sources also report that CPB is considering a request to pay for music rights for calendar year 2027 – the end of the current rights agreement. It is still undetermined whether the 2027 payments will occur.
  • NPR convened a working group on July 23, shortly after Congress voted to rescind CPB funding, to address management of future music rights.

While future costs remain uncertain, we do know what non-CPB qualified stations currently pay, and what they are scheduled to pay through 2027. These rates provide a reasonable indicator of potential costs for all stations going forward.

  • Source: Federal Register, June 28, 2023 – Final regulations set by the Copyright Royalty Board for noncommercial broadcasting from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2027.

Fee schedules depend on:

  • For University licensees – based on student enrollment.
  • For Non-university licensees – based on market population and whether the percentage of music programming in your format is above or below 20%.

The following charts apply to BMI and ASCAP. The amount indicated would be paid to both performing rights organizations; so, for example, a University-based station in Level 4 would pay $887 in 2027 to both BMI and ASCAP, for a total payment of $1,774. That same calculation applies to all of these charts.

University-Based Stations

Number of Full-Time Students20232024202520262027
Level 1: <1,000$390$400$410$421$432
Level 2: 1,000–4,999$451$463$475$487$500
Level 3: 5,000–9,999$619$635$652$669$686
Level 4: 10,000–19,999$801$822$843$865$887
Level 5: 20,000+ 1,009$1009$1035$1062$1090$1118

Non-University Licensees

Stations with ≥20% Music in Their Format

Population Count20232024202520262027
Level 1: <2,499$574$585$597$609$621
Level 2: 25,000–249,999$754$769$784$800$816
Level 3: 250,000–499,999$1346$1373$1400$1428$1457
Level 4: 500,000–999,999$2017$2057$2098$2140$2183
Level 5: 1,000,000–1,499,999$2,691 $2,745 $2,800 $2,856 $2,913
Level 6: 1,500,000–1,999,999 $3,363 $3,430 $3,499$3,569 $3,640
Level 7: 2,000,000–2,499,999$4,035 $4,116 $4,198$4,282$4,368
Level 8: 2,500,000–2,999,999$4,708 $4,802$4,898 $4,996$5,096
Level 9: 3,000,000+$6,726 $6,861 $6,998 $7,138$7,280

Stations with <20% Music in Their Format

Population Count20232024202520262027
Level 1: <2,499$265 $270 $276 $281 $287
Level 2: 25,000–249,999$574 $585$597 $609$ 621
Level 3: 250,000–499,999$574$585$597$609$621
Level 4: 500,000–999,999$574$585$597$609$621
Level 5: 1,000,000–1,499,999$942$961$980$1,000$1,020
Level 6: 1,500,000–1,999,999 $1,177 $1,201$1,225$1,249$1,274
Level 7: 2,000,000–2,499,999$1,412 $1,440 $1,469 $1,498 $1,528
Level 8: 2,500,000–2,999,999$1,647 $1,680$1,714$1,748$1,783
Level 9: 3,000,000+$2,354 $2,401 $2,449 $2,498 $2,548

Costs for licensing SESAC and GMR music are above and beyond that which is paid to ASCAP and BMI as mentioned above. For all such compositions in the repertory of GMR, the royalty rates are as follows:

  • 2023: $174.00 per station, subject to an annual cost of living adjustment (likely to be around One and one-half percent (1.5%)).
  • 2026: The 2025 rate, subject to an annual cost of living adjustment (likely to be around One and one-half percent (1.5%)).
  • 2027: The 2026 rate, subject to an annual cost of living adjustment (likely to be around One and one-half percent (1.5%)).

Specific costs to license SESAC material are not available in public record but are believed to be considerably less than ASCAP or BMI rates, but likely slightly higher than GMR fees.

Additional Notes:

  • Even if stations had to begin paying fees in 2026, the costs do not appear to represent an extraordinary hardship.
  • The broadcast music license agreements currently cover ASCAP, BMI, GMR, the Harry Fox Agency, and SESAC.
  • Fees exclude SoundExchange and newer performance rights organizations (Global Music Rights, AllTrack, etc.).
  • A separate agreement with Sound Exchange covers online streaming. A proposed Copyright Royalty Board rule sets royalties at $950,000 in 2026, increasing annually to $1,050,000 in 2030. This is a blanket license for all stations.
  • Some university-based public stations have explored including broadcast rights under their institution’s blanket music license. To the best of our knowledge, none have succeeded—university music licenses generally do not cover broadcast rights. A few student stations may operate under a university blanket license, but we know of no CPB- qualified or NPR member station that does.
  • Performing rights organizations will prefer to negotiate with one central entity rather than hundreds of individual stations, as this is more efficient and preserves lower rates. The likelihood of individual stations negotiating their own agreements with the performing rights organizations is minimal.

What Is Likely to Happen

Two steps are essential to maintain continuity of music rights agreements:

  1. Identifying a new entity to administer the contracts.
  2. Securing a funding source to cover fees.

The prevailing consensus: Stations should not expect to negotiate and pay for music rights individually. A coordinated solution is expected by 2026. As mentioned above, we believe that CPB will be funding music rights payments for 2026.

  • NPR has convened a working group to evaluate options.
  • One member explained:

    “It is in our best interest to stay united. The rights are already contracted through 2027 and can be transferred to another organization. Even if stations eventually pay through a new entity, negotiating collectively will preserve our current low rates. The current agreements include all CPB, NPR, and PBS stations—our combined buying power is tremendous.”


  • The working group has asked CPB to
    • Pre-pay 2026 licensing fees, and
    • Transfer responsibility for 2027 contracts to another organization.
  • Best-case scenario: CPB pays 2026 fees, transfers 2027 contracts, and a successor organization manages ongoing negotiations, fee schedules, and administration.
  • Marta McLellan Ross, SVP at NPR stated:

“NPR isn’t going anywhere, and we are committed to coordinating with public media organizations and stations to ensure that these licenses will be retained, in light of the recent rescission of public media funding.”

    • NPR CEO Katherine Maher told The Washington Post that NPR and PBS are in discussions to potentially manage music rights.

This article will be updated as new developments occur.

Sources: Current newspaper, Ernie Sanchez (The Sanchez Law Group), the Federal Register, music rights session at 2025 PMCC conference moderated by Peter Dominowski, and conversations with multiple stations.