Music Licensing

[stewart30]

Hello
Looking for advice re music licensing laws in Northern Ireland. Last year we paid PRS for an annual music license. We are due to renew this and would normally be doing so but now we are receiving backdated invoices from PPL asking for us to pay them as well as PRS. I realise we are probably going to have to pay this as they are a seperate company covering different areas but can we resist the backdated charges I have read on their literature they can recover costs from up to 6 years previously...This hard hand tactics on small businesses is despicable behaviour in the present economic times.

[Mr.Marty]

This seems like standard procedure for a lot of businesses who have been over-employing for years and suddenly have to justify the staff wages. They will probably respond to a 'phone call explaining the circumstances better. Many people do not pay these bills at all, just move premises or close down, so they will gratefully receive any revenue, rather than none. Just talk to them reasonably but make sure they know that your business is supposed to be supplying an income for you and your employees, not provide them with flexi-time and a lovely office.

[paulears]

Sadly, PPL are very unlikely to respond to any pleas for leniency. There's another running topic on this, but PPL are agents for the record companies, PRS are the same but representing the composer's interests. PRS have been active for years, and PPL have only just got into the swing of collection targeting people as PRS have always done. Despite being a PPL and PRS member, PPL are pretty strong on enforcement, which as a member, I have to agree with - but I do hear so many similar tales of them being hard and unyielding. However - they're within their remit, acting as an agent for the people who hold copyright in parts of a product being used. PPL used to be just hot on radio and TV broadcasting, and didn't really have the resources to target small businesses - but that has changed. The trouble is, very few people have heard of them. That doesn't stop them having the legal right to collect what is due, though.

[frostystart]

Tune into Instore Music Solutions they provide businesses with quality music without the PRS/PPL fees they have many users already from Subway/KFC to charity shops who are also being targeted by both the PRS and PPL they have all the hardware and music ready to go from totally free, to £120 a year for a fully branded own station where you can add your own adverts etc.
Have a look at www.imsradio.co.uk

[paulears]

It's a great system at less money than PPL/PRS but of course, very little of the music comes from artistes anyone has heard of - not all bad of course, but often just a little bland? However, with radio stations playing the same old tired playlists, this could be quite refreshing!