Late Night Shows can pay well!
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- Susanstunes
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Late Night Shows can pay well!
Hi everyone!
I'm still amazed at how royalties are figured out.
This is really like swimming in mud, even years later.
I have had mostly International placements on documentary style programming which is fine with me, since these TV shows / films seem reliable and readily turn in the cue sheets, and frequently use my music for long durations, even as long as 5 minutes.
Pretty regularly I'll get paid on a US Network show, like PBS, Univision, etc. Those payments are pretty much in the ballpark of $20-$40/minute, just about like the International payments, depending of course on time of day, and all the many other factors.
But these random payments from Latenight US Network shows- it's crazy how much the royalty can jump! I just got paid $49.65 for Seven Seconds on Jimmy Kimmel.
Seven seconds. $49.65
I now know this has a lot to do with the Nielson Ratings. Of course other factors, too. But one time I had my music on a PBS Food Show that paid far less than even the average, most likely due to low viewership.
Carry on y'all-
Susan Hillman
www.instagram.com/susanhillmanmusic
I'm still amazed at how royalties are figured out.
This is really like swimming in mud, even years later.
I have had mostly International placements on documentary style programming which is fine with me, since these TV shows / films seem reliable and readily turn in the cue sheets, and frequently use my music for long durations, even as long as 5 minutes.
Pretty regularly I'll get paid on a US Network show, like PBS, Univision, etc. Those payments are pretty much in the ballpark of $20-$40/minute, just about like the International payments, depending of course on time of day, and all the many other factors.
But these random payments from Latenight US Network shows- it's crazy how much the royalty can jump! I just got paid $49.65 for Seven Seconds on Jimmy Kimmel.
Seven seconds. $49.65
I now know this has a lot to do with the Nielson Ratings. Of course other factors, too. But one time I had my music on a PBS Food Show that paid far less than even the average, most likely due to low viewership.
Carry on y'all-
Susan Hillman
www.instagram.com/susanhillmanmusic
- funsongs
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Re: Late Night Shows can pay well!
BIG CONGRATS - interesting report.Susanstunes wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 7:22 amHi everyone!
I'm still amazed at how royalties are figured out.
This is really like swimming in mud, even years later.
I have had mostly International placements on documentary style programming which is fine with me, since these TV shows / films seem reliable and readily turn in the cue sheets, and frequently use my music for long durations, even as long as 5 minutes.
Pretty regularly I'll get paid on a US Network show, like PBS, Univision, etc. Those payments are pretty much in the ballpark of $20-$40/minute, just about like the International payments, depending of course on time of day, and all the many other factors.
But these random payments from Latenight US Network shows- it's crazy how much the royalty can jump! I just got paid $49.65 for Seven Seconds on Jimmy Kimmel.
Seven seconds. $49.65
I now know this has a lot to do with the Nielson Ratings. Of course other factors, too. But one time I had my music on a PBS Food Show that paid far less than even the average, most likely due to low viewership.
Carry on y'all-
Susan Hillman
www.instagram.com/susanhillmanmusic
Your next cue/song title: Seven Seconds
(maybe like for the Golf channel - for a tournament where there are 7 players tied for SECOND place...)




PS: of course - that means that those 7 players split the total of monies paid from SECOND to EIGHTH place... not a bad payday for them either.
Peter Rahill - aka "funsongs"
NOW, back on YouTube (2022)
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- cosmicdolphin
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Re: Late Night Shows can pay well!
Nobody knows, it often seems to defy logic
Buy me coffee https://ko-fi.com/cosmicdolphin78382
- superkons
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Re: Late Night Shows can pay well!
Congrats Susan!
And it is a strangely working machinery indeed...
And it is a strangely working machinery indeed...
Marco - Pianist, keyboardist, composer for film/TV/games/media
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- Casey H
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Re: Late Night Shows can pay well!
It's worse than airline fares, LOL. Huge CONGRATS on the placement!!

I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER!
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- TLovato
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Re: Late Night Shows can pay well!
Congrats on the placement and the earnings! Super impressive
- Susanstunes
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Re: Late Night Shows can pay well!
Hi Peter - great idea!funsongs wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 6:52 pmBIG CONGRATS - interesting report.Susanstunes wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 7:22 am
Hi everyone!
I'm still amazed at how royalties are figured out.
This is really like swimming in mud, even years later.
I have had mostly International placements on documentary style programming which is fine with me, since these TV shows / films seem reliable and readily turn in the cue sheets, and frequently use my music for long durations, even as long as 5 minutes.
Pretty regularly I'll get paid on a US Network show, like PBS, Univision, etc. Those payments are pretty much in the ballpark of $20-$40/minute, just about like the International payments, depending of course on time of day, and all the many other factors.
But these random payments from Latenight US Network shows- it's crazy how much the royalty can jump! I just got paid $49.65 for Seven Seconds on Jimmy Kimmel.
Seven seconds. $49.65
I now know this has a lot to do with the Nielson Ratings. Of course other factors, too. But one time I had my music on a PBS Food Show that paid far less than even the average, most likely due to low viewership.
Carry on y'all-
Susan Hillman
www.instagram.com/susanhillmanmusic
Your next cue/song title: Seven Seconds
(maybe like for the Golf channel - for a tournament where there are 7 players tied for SECOND place...)![]()
![]()
![]()
PS: of course - that means that those 7 players split the total of monies paid from SECOND to EIGHTH place... not a bad payday for them either.
Susan
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