Does it? I know for a fact that artists in most of Europe get fixed fees for different types of public performance (played on the radio/played at a company function/etc.). Only "royalty free" titles manage their own contracts. No TV station actually talks to some band's manager to license their song when it plays on the car radio in the background.
An ASCAP license for a general business is around $3.33 * occupancy per year. There isn't that much money to save by getting out of licensing fees.