[CMA R] Podcasting and the CMA

[Bill Best]

Hi

From: Benjamin Wood <benjaminwood at gmail.com>

> I'm not sure about how the BBC got around PPLUK with regards to  
> Podcasting, but could the CMA represent community stations to  
> overcome the music within podcasts? I've plenty of people wanting  to 
> do this, but PPLUK prevents me at the mo.

I am not aware that the BBC has 'got around' music licensing issues with 
  PPL, MCPS and the other licensing agencies at all in terms of 
podcasting.  From the podcast FAQ's on BBC's website:

>> Why are there no music programmes offered as downloads and podcasts?
>> 
>> Unfortunately the rights situation is very complex for all programmes featuring music which is available commercially. This prevents us from offering any programmes featuring commercially available music as downloads and podcasts as part of the current trial.

The two BBC podcasts I can see which could potentially play music that 
is still within copyright are the Chris Moyles and Chris Evans shows:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/downloadtrial/

As I understand it these two downloads feature only short clips of music 
to link speech and interviews but so far I have not had the pleasure of 
listening to either.  The above page also lists the "Talking 6 Music" 
podcast advertised as a highlights package.

One of the BBC's most successful podcasts was of Beethoven's Nine 
Symphonies but of course any copyright relating to that work expired a 
number of decades previously.  It is also worth bearing in mind that the 
most downloaded podcast to date is the recent Ricky Gervais series for 
The Guardian which is speech-based.  It is therefore apparent that the 
issue of licensing music in podcasts has not yet been ratified by any 
broadcasting organisation.

The CMA does indeed represent the interests of the community 
broadcasting sector to the licensing agencies including PPLUK, PRS, MCPS 
and will continue to lobby vigorously on behalf of those community radio 
stations seeking to podcast music-based content.

Regards

Bill Best
-- 
Community Media Association
http://www.commedia.org.uk/