AFM Files Suit Against Spike TV, Jim Owens Entertainment

The American Federation of Musicians has filed a suit in the Chancery Court of Davidson County against Spike TV and Jim Owens Entertainment for more than $1 million in unpaid wages.
The AFM alleges that while Jim Owens Entertainment has provided programs (including Music City Tonight) that were originally recorded under The Nashville Network’s AFM agreement in the 1980s and 1990s and the “new” TNN which launched Nov. 1, 2012, now known as Heartland TV (owned by Luken Communications), no payments for the airings since 2012 have been made to numerous musicians who worked on these programs.
“We have spent more than 16 months negotiating in good faith to try and reach an equitable agreement to compensate these musicians fairly for their work,” says AFM Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy. “We have exhausted all possibilities for a positive resolution in this case. Owens has left us no choice but to pursue resolution of this case through the legal system and all means necessary.”
Jim Owens Entertainment has declined to comment at this time.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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