APRA AMCOS has been active chasing newsagents since the New Year for fees for playing music, whether streamed, by CD for on radio in-store. There is a letter, usually followed by a call. Based on what some have told me today, the call can become aggressive.
The APRA fee is a cost of business. It is not worth the risk. Pay it and move on, or don’t play any music.
“Based on what some have told me today, the call can become aggressive.”
What does that even mean.
Threatening: legal action, embarrassment etc .
the girl keeps email me and calling me , my wife thought iam having an affair, so i just pay.
Or just use free use music. There’s plenty of it across several genres on Spotify.
You need an APRA licence to play that.
How about the playing Grunts and Groans from a nearby House of ill repute or the delight and joy of an Australia Day back yard Party. Does these also require an APRA License. How far does this right to charge extend.
From the APRA AMCOS website (http://apraamcos.com.au/music-customers/why-do-you-need-a-licence-to-use-music-in-your-business/): Why do you need a licence to use music in your business?
When music is played and/or performed live, made available online or copied, the business authorising that music use almost always requires a licence. This covers the rights of the songwriter, composer and music publisher who made and own the piece of music. Music directly benefits thousands of businesses in Australia: from digital download services and record labels, through to broadcasters and nightclubs, schools and cinemas to shops and restaurants who use music to attract and retain customers.
It is not just important for you to have permission from the copyright owners and pay for the right to use music for the benefit of your business but a legal requirement too. At APRA AMCOS we’ve done the hard work for you so you do not have to contact the owners of each piece of music of music you play, broadcast, stream, download or copy.
Our licences:
Provide a one-stop shop for the world’s repertoire of music
Are designed to suit your business and you only pay for what you need
Are in our view the easiest and most cost-effective way to access public performance, broadcast, communication and reproduction rights to music
Ensure songwriters, composers and music publishers are paid fairly for their music
Uses of music licensed by APRA AMCOS includes background music, live performances, call waiting music, karaoke, radio and TV broadcasts, music on your website and much more. If music is a part of your business either for customers or staff then you will need a licence. Most businesses will generally be covered by one simple licence agreement. We also handle more complex licences for events, multi-premise businesses, web portals, music streaming services and production studios.
If you are interested in reading more on copyright from an independent source, visit the Australian Copyright Council website.
If you play only music where you have explicit permission from the various copyright holders to play it in your store (e.g. some local band that has written and recorded their own original songs and are allowing you to play it in their store because its good exposure or maybe someone released their music as Creative Commons with commercial use allowed) then you shouldn’t need to get any kind of license from APRA.
That’s correct Jonathan. According to APRA you would need the agreement in writing.
I think the frustrating part of the letter was that it did not contain an option that your store does not play music. I received a few letters and ignored the first couple, I then simply e-mailed the author and told him I don`t play any music, the letters have stopped arriving.
Just an outside of the square moment but if I owned a cafe or similar I would install a jukebox, yes you still need an APRA licence but you might make some money while your at it. Maybe a newsagent could install a jukebox and feed it through petty cash and claim the cost as advertising….who knows…the odd customer may even put some coins in to hear there favorite song whilst browsing cards or magazines etc etc.
Honestly, I wish APRA would get tougher on this and stop music streaming in cafes, bars, clothing shops, the list goes on and on. I am sick to death of having to yell so staff can hear me above the cacophony that too many play.
What ever happened to allowing people time to be alone with their thoughts? To having a good conversation over a coffee or a beer?
Rant over
I often get compliments on the music in my shop, I play light jazz, a little old pop, some of the classics, all at a volume low enough that it never intrudes on the customer interaction.