When licensing your content for public radio play, it's essential to grasp the distinctions between performance rights organizations (PROs) and sound recordings rights organizations. In the US, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC handle public performance of music. But when it comes to sound recordings, like commercials or show segments containing licensed music, there's a critical second layer: SoundExchange.

SoundExchange deals specifically with digital sound recordings, including those used in satellite radio, webcasting, and cable TV. To properly account for these uses, you'll typically need to sign with SoundExchange and pay royalties for the use of sound recordings by their respective owners – usually record labels.

Keep in mind that ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC licenses handle public performance of music, but they don't account for the playback of actual sound recordings. This dichotomy is critical because you'll need licenses from either the PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) or SoundExchange (for sound recording use) depending on whether you're playing original compositions or copyrighted sound recordings.

For instance, if you're playing music composed by a local musician in your studio show but recorded by a commercial artist, you'll need licenses from both the PRO and SoundExchange – the former for the performance of the composition, and the latter for the playback of the commercial recording.