BMI Appoints Caroline Beasley To Board, Extends President/CEO Mike O’Neill’s Contract

Caroline Beasley

BMI has appointed Caroline Beasley, CEO, Beasley Media Group, as Chairman of the BMI Board of Directors, effective immediately. Beasley joined the board in 2014 and most recently served as Vice Chairman of the BMI Board.

Beasley was named Chief Executive Officer of Beasley Media Group, LLC in January 2017. Previously, she held several senior-level positions within the company since 1994, including Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary. In addition, she has served as a Director of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. since she joined the company in 1983.

“It is truly an honor to have the privilege of serving as Chair of the BMI Board of Directors,” said Beasley. “Many thanks to Michael Fiorile for his innovative vision, tireless collaboration and insightful leadership over the past several years in his role as Chairman of the organization. I look forward to working together with the Board, Mike O’Neill and the outstanding BMI team to continue to serve the evolving needs of music creators, publishers and licensees in today’s dynamic marketplace.”

Additionally, the performing rights organization’s Board of Directors has extended its contract with President/CEO Mike O’Neill, through the end of 2026.

Under O’Neill’s leadership, BMI has reported its highest-ever revenue and distributions to its affiliate songwriters, composers and publishers. Notably, BMI became the first music rights organization in the world to deliver more than $1 billion in public performance royalties to its affiliates. Additionally, O’Neill spearheaded BMI’s historic victory over the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure the continued practice of fractional licensing. He has also overseen exponential growth year-over-year in both signing up tens of thousands of new songwriters and composers to the company and processing trillions of performances, adapting to the seismic digital shift in how music is consumed. Most recently, O’Neill has successfully steered the Company during the global COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing the health and safety of BMI team members while ensuring seamless service to affiliates and licensees and driving historic revenue and royalty distributions.

The company also announced that the following six BMI Board members have been re-elected to three-year terms, expiring in 2023: Greg Ashlock, President, iHeartMedia Markets Group; Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, Direct to Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company; Dave Lougee, President and CEO, TEGNA, Inc.; Mike O’Neill, President and CEO, BMI; Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO, The CW Network; and Perry Sook, Chairman, President and CEO, Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Continuing in their terms on the BMI Board of Directors are: Susan Davenport Austin, CFO, Grace Church School; Amador Bustos, President and CEO, Bustos Media Holdings, LLC; Bill Hoffman, President, Hoffman Communications, Inc. and Retired President, Cox Media Group; Catherine Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Urban One, Inc.; Phil Jones, Retired President, Meredith Corporation Broadcast Group; Jerry Kersting, Former President, Tribune Broadcasting and past EVP/CFO, Clear Channel Radio; Paul Karpowicz, Retired President, Meredith Local Media Group; Ginny Morris, Vice President, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. and Chair and CEO, Hubbard Radio, LLC; and Neil Smith, President, GNS Media, LLC.