If streaming is supposed to the #1 model for film and TV then paying ongoing royalties is the fair way of compensation towards those who create it. Trying to cut that off is flat out robbery and even worse it is a display of unspeakable disrespect towards creative work and its - not only monetary but also artistic value.
The bosses of these companies that are threatening to enforce this malpractice have no interest in art: in fact they only ever see art as another product on the supermarket shelf to be manufactured as cheaply as possible for maximum profit. These kind of human beings only care about their own "material wealth": acquiring as much money as possible is their only raison d'être. Therefore it is futile to try and appeal to any possible artistic sensitivity here because there is none!
It's not all doom and gloom though because although I think the situation is worrying and definitely needs to be addressed swiftly by the professional creative community, the reality is that this mal practice in the long run would implode on Discovery and others that think they could make more profit by it.... However the point is that if such practices were to start taking place it would create a lot of problems for many before that implosion occurs.
The irony is that these executive "businessmen" would see far less profit coming from cuts in composer wages than continuing to pay them because without quality music, particularly bespoke composition to picture, the production quality of their programs will diminish- fewer film makers will want to work with them and TV networks won't want to broadcast under par program content. Their returns will crumble hand in hand with the lack of artistic merit to the products they produce. It's as if they don't understand the true meaning of one of their favourite phrases: "quality product"!
However it is imperative that all bodies and institutions involved in the creation of TV and film are made fully aware of this prospective can of worms!
As such the only way to combat companies that are trying to cut off composers earnings is to ace them on the same court they like to "play ball" on. For ace them we must to make sure this prospective practice does not become yet another "norm" in our industry.
For that serve to become an ace a combination of things must happen:
1. All composers must now boycott any financial association with the Discovery Channel and any others who are no doubt going to try to follow suit. Basically refuse any work from them including use of any library music.
If they are going to drop all bespoke composition commissions and revert to using strictly "music off the shelf" and (the ****ing cheek of it!) refuse to continue paying licenses even for that! it is imperative that composers speak up for their 50% right to forbid library music companies they share published works with to do business with the likes of the Discovery Channel... in other words: no buy outs!
Unfortunately library companies can be just as sneaky and ruthless but this is where the PRS and all copyright bodies could step in also...
2 (a) In turn the PRS (British copyright society) and all other associated copyright bodies around the world must support their associated composers in the fight against this potential threat.
The "world copyright guild" must refuse to pay out any royalties to library companies continuing to do business with the likes of the Discovery channel.
(b) (hear me out on this one!) In reality the Discovery Channels belief that they will continue to sell programs who's quality filmography is no longer supported by any bespoke music whatsoever is a joke! They will soon realise they need some bespoke music to keep up a modicum of class to their productions. Even if this type of commissioning has been officially cut from their budget they will still approach composers. And as they are hoping to commission music royalty free there will still be composers out there who will secretly offer their bespoke music services royalty free to the likes of Discovery no doubt succumbing to miserly music production fees to boot! I think the PRS should actually strike any composer from their books found composing royalty free music for the likes of the Discovery Channel. In fact any composer who does accept commissions for royalty free music production from any company is undermining the royalty payment system anyhow.
This is a controversial point but I think it would be necessary to discourage any composer from accepting royalty free commissions from Discovery Channel and in turn this stringent rule would bring composers together on this issue which is clearly no longer an "I'm alright jack" situation.
3. Film companies must also support the composers cause as it reflects on their own quality of work: they too must boycott working with the likes of the Discover channel.
4. TV distribution networks must be made fully informed of the issue and encouraged not to buy Discovery productions.
In short, should this practice ever become apparent the likes of the Discovery Channel must be financially frozen out of business.
It's such a pity that the foundations of a production company like Discovery that has produced some of the most spectacular and informative programs of our generation are being dismantled by ignorant executive decision.
This issue is potentially far reaching and could actually effect all warps of the film and TV industry if it isn't nipped in the bud.
I hope Discovery read this thread and I always hope, because I'm an optimistic kind of guy, as much as I have bashed those working at executive level at The Discovery Channel, that there is one of them who can at least see that it does not make business sense to axe a composers wages let alone recognise the downright insult it hurls at the composer, a skilled worker, who is a vital pillar in the creation of quality TV and film production.