Earlier this week, I mentioned the ongoing squabble over ringtones involving AT&T and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

Essentially, the music producers group believes it should be paid more by wireless carriers for the ringtones so many cell phone users enjoy inflicting upon the rest of us.

Today, I heard an ASCAP representative, seeking to offer some clarity to the organization’s position. Among other things, ASCAP wants to stress that the organization is not looking to charge consumers for access to ring tones.

Of course, I think it’s probably fair to point out that anytime a company - say a cable provider or wireless carrier - has to pay more to provide a particular feature, that increase is generally passed along to the end user. Of course, that doesn’t mean that would be the case in this instance.

Anyway, here are some bullet points offered up by ASCAP.

• ASCAP is seeking to ensure that carriers pay ASCAP members a share of the revenue derived from content (like ringtones) that uses ASCAP members’ music.
• The group says it does not want to charge consumers.
• It has been licensing wireless carriers and ringtone content providers since 2001. Now, some of those carriers want to avoid that payment.

“Bottom line, ASCAP is striving to license those that make a business of transmitting its members’ music. This holds true for any medium where businesses have been built by using this music as content or a service - whether terrestrial broadcast, satellite, cable, Internet or wireless carriers providing audio and video content.”