Australian Recording Artists and Record Labels Join Forces for Broadcast Fee Reform

Australian recording artists and record companies have joined forces to seek the removal of an anachronistic statutory price cap on the fees paid by the commercial radio industry for the broadcast of recordings.

A law embedded in the Copyright Act since 1969 has protected commercial radio from paying a fair market rate for the recordings used to attract and retain listeners.

For the last 36 years, this law has meant that Australian recording artists and record companies have subsidised the growth and profits of the commercial radio sector. The main beneficiaries have been the proprietors of FM radio, which is now a $540 million a year business. The entire Australian commercial radio sector is now a $770 million a year industry.

A coalition of recording artists, working with Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) - which collects broadcast licence fees on behalf of artists and copyright owners - welcomes the Federal Government’s decision to review the Copyright Act to determine whether or not the retention of the cap is warranted. The Attorney-General’s Department has issued a discussion paper on this issue and has sought responses from interested parties. PPCA lodged a detailed submission on 18 March.

For further information, go to www.ppca.com.au/news.htm

22 March 2005