[cma-l] Proposed changes to Copyright Exemptions in respect of Music Licensing

Fri Sep 26 15:05:38 BST 2008

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: "Colin Pearse" <colin.pearse at ntlworld.com>

Hi, I saw the subject of copyright came up so I thought I would grind
an axe or two.

I know from a conversation I had with Jaqui that the CMA had been
trying to make some progress in getting the fees and licence
management easier and fairer. This is something that should have been
sorted years ago.

If you have ever run an RSL you suddenly become very aware the costs
are wholly unfair. Compare the rates for small community stations and
hospital radios for instance that run on minimal budgets to the daily
rate for RSLs. The cost of music licensing for RSL's is out of all
proportion to what might be deemed "fair and equitable" when
comparisons are made.

I have always thought that it was possibly a case for the Office of
Fair Trading. I will point out several obvious things. As the number
of radio stations increased should the amount of licence fees grossed
have been allowed to grow exponentially. Having the licences doesn't
cover you for all copyright material and playing records for
particular artists doesn't automatically mean they will receive any
benefit whatsoever. Large amounts of charity money get eaten up in
these licence fees...

In the 21st century it must be possible to get things better
organised: licence to print money or protection racket?  Form your own
view. Of course community radio should have happened in the U.K. at
least 30 years ago... We do seem to have a lot of catching up to do
with those Third World countries that had it years before we did!

Colin Pearse. / Sussex Surrey Radio Group / Redhill
----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian Hickling" <transplanfm at hotmail.com>
To: <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 11:31 AM
Subject: [cma-l] Proposed changes to Copyright Exemptions in respect
ofMusic Licensing

> Nick
>
> I'd disagree with part of your proposition Nick and so will the
> Royalties Agencies.
>
> Because you are a Not-for-Profit organisation doesn't mean you derive no
> benefit from playing copyright music.
>
> They will say that you are capable of enhancing your income by
> increasing your audience by playing music and that audience then spends
> more with your advertisers and hence you can spend more before reaching
> your break-even point.
>
> Hence your audience figures are relevant but there is no possible way of
> determining them of course!
>
> Ian Hickling
> Transplan UK
>
> > Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:57:38 +0100
> > From: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> > Subject: Re: [cma-l] [CMA members] Proposed changes to Copyright
> Exemptions in respect of Music Licensing
> >
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >
> > From: "Office - ccr-fm" <office at ccr-fm.co.uk>
> >
> > Dear Sir
> >
> > With reference to copyright.............our not-for-profit community
> radio
> > station does not have an issue with paying a small fee for
> > copyrights................what we do however have an issue with is the
> > bureaucracy that goes with it. We simply don't have the volunteers or
> staff
> > to constantly keep sending e-mails and letters full of survey figures.
> >
> > It should simply be that you pay your fee, and if 10 people are
> listening so
> > be it.............if 1,010 are listening then bully for all of us !
> >
> > The figures for a not for profit group are irrelevant as we are not
> making
> > money, profits, bonuses or shares out of those recordings.
> >
> > It's quite simple really, but as always in this Country we have to make
> > everything damn well difficult.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Nick Wright / Frustrated Station Co-ordinator
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> > Subject: [CMA members] Proposed changes to Copyright Exemptions in
> > respect of Music Licensing
> >
> > Launch date: 1 July 2008
> > Closing date: 31 October 2008
> >
> > The Government is launching a new consultation in respect of certain
> > copyright exemptions which apply to playing recorded music in public.
> >
> > The Government is aware that some exemptions in the Copyright Designs
> > and Patents Act 1988 may not be working well in maintaining the
> > correct balance between the interests of music rights holders and
> > users. The sections to be reviewed are sections 67 and 72(1B)(a) and
> > paragraphs 15 and 18(1A)(a) of Schedule 2 to the Act. The Government
> > also proposes to repeal sections 128A and 128B which relate to the
> > operation of section 72.
> >
> > The exemptions principally allow not-for-profit and charitable
> > organisations, in certain specific circumstances, to play copyright
> > sound recordings in public without being required to pay a licence fee
> > for use of those sound recordings or the performances they contain.
> >
> > - Music Licensing Consultation Document PDF document:
> > http://tinyurl.com/5ozggj
> > - Music Licensing Consultation Document MS Word Document:
> > http://tinyurl.com/6cb65q
> >
> > To assist users who may have an interest in this issue but are not
> > familiar with copyright law there is a short form of the document
> > highlighting the main points:
> >
> > - Short form of Music Licensing Consultation Document PDF document:
> > http://tinyurl.com/5w7wh5
> > - Short form Music Licensing Consultation Document MS Word Document:
> > http://tinyurl.com/6jqcfk
> >
> > How to respond:
> >
> > The deadline for responses to this consultation is 31 October 2008.
> >
> > Comments may be sent by post, e-mail or fax to:
> >
> > Music Licensing Review
> > Copyright and Intellectual Property Enforcement Directorate
> > UK Intellectual Property Office
> > Concept House
> > Cardiff Road
> > Newport
> > NP10 8QQ
> >
> > E-mail: musiclicensingreview at ipo.gov.uk
> >
> > Fax: +44 (0)1633 814922
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