PRS for Music (PRS)

For all music played at the community centre we need to have permission or clearance to do so, from the owners of that music.

The PRS represent the owners and arranges the clearances we need.

The DCA now pay the Performing Rights Society approximately £500 per year (including VAT), who pass this onto the owners of any music that is played at the centre.

The PRS for music are a not-for-profit organisation, enabling you access to the world's music in the most efficient way.

Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL)

This organisation exist to collect the royalties due under copyright law when sound recordings are used in public on behalf of the companies producing records, tapes or CDs.

They have a statutory right to issue licences and set tariffs, and those who run activities in public at which sound recordings are used without obtaining a PPL licence may be infringing copyright law.

A joint registration scheme negotiated between Community Matters and PPL enables all charitable organisations running community buildings to benefit from a simple, low cost scheme, to cover all their own licensable activities, the current cost of this registration is £52.30 + VAT

PLEASE NOTE:

Registration under the Community Matters/PPL scheme will cover all the licensable activities for the DCA and DCA sections.

It will NOT cover the activities of affiliated groups or other hirers: they are responsible themselves for obtaining any required licences for their activities.

Please contact the PPL directly on 0207 534 1000 to ensure you are not infringing copyright law!

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

We already have a PRS licence, doesn't that cover us?

The PRS (Performing Right Society) licence covers the copyright owned by the composers, authors and publishers of musical works. However, there is a separate copyright owned by the producers of sound recordings, and this is administered by PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd). So if you use sound recordings in public you will need a PRS licence (contact PRS on: 0800 068 4828 for new applications; 0845 309 3090 for existing license holders, but you will probably need a PPL licence as well!

Do we need a PPL licence if admission to events using recorded music is restricted to members?

Yes, for the purposes of copyright law these are NOT private events.

But wedding receptions, and birthday and anniversary parties ARE private and so do not require a PPL licence.

Do we have to be a member of Community Matters to take advantage of Community Matters/PPL registration scheme?

No, the scheme is open to all charitable organisations running community buildings, whether members of Community Matters or not. However, for non-members, as stated above, the charge will be £80.50 (£70.00 + £10.50 VAT). Although charitable village halls are unlikely to need a PPL licence themselves (their hirers may need one), village halls will be eligible e.g. if a bar/social club is run on the premises.

If we register under the scheme, will all activities in our building be covered?

All the activities which are promoted by your organisation and its ‘sections’ will be covered (including those of any separated bar/social club). The PPL licence covers the organisation: not the building. However, the activities of the independent affiliated groups which use your building and of other hirers, will NOT be covered.

They are responsible themselves for obtaining the required licence from PPL for their activities. It is a condition of participation in the scheme that you ensure as far as possible that your hirers obtain the necessary licence.

(This is why the Downswood community association are bringing this to the attention of its affiliated groups).

We have a juke box and the invoice from the vendor includes a contribution to a PPL licence. Do we still have to pay that?

Yes, you do. The scheme does not exempt you from that payment.

Some aerobics tapes we use include a charge for PPL, do we have to pay for this?

Yes, in such cases the companies concerned have taken out a licence with Phonographic Performance Ltd, and you will have to pay the charge if you use their tapes.

What if our hirers are not licensed for PPL - do we have any responsibility?

Yes, you could be held jointly and severally liable as the managers of the building.

It is therefore in your interest, as well as a condition of the scheme, that you ensure your hirers have the required licences and we suggest you formalise this through the use of a hiring agreement. Community Matters has a model that might assist you.

(Please see the Downswood community centre conditions of hire – item 3).

What happens if we do nothing?

If you are running licensable activities, then you may be infringing copyright law and will be losing the opportunity to comply with the law at minimal cost.

If you are not running any licensable activities, but there is a chance that you or one of your ‘sections’, (not affiliated groups) may decide to hold a disco later in the year, then you would be sensible to register since it will cost you nothing.

August 2009.