JPF Home Page Forums International Chapter Message Boards Australia Chapter Message Board Hi Aussie Folks

I wanted to learn about the Aussie PRO's and how it might differ from the US ones. Can those with direct experience with their Australian PRO fill us in?

Thanks,

Brian

Performing Rights Associations??

I am a Full Writer Member of APRA ( Australian Performing Rights Association )and it works pretty much the same as the American affiliates...Infact it affiliates with other PRO's all over the world including ASCAP, BMI and SESAC in the States.

Publishing Company Names however are the big difference I see between the 2 country's rules....It is much harder here to own your own publishing company name to run your songs under as you must have at least 3 Artist's signed to you or ur lable....
"keeping it run by the SUITS'....
However there are loopholes..

APRA is very good at sending out event calendars and hosts quite a few comps annually. APRA also covers New Zealand writers/artists as well and inculdes copywrite coverage for not only songs, but jingles, and incidental music ect. It is the biggest and most recognized within the Country.

It was established in 1926 and is responsible for the collection of more than $146 million and the distribution of almost $127 million annually.

Well Brian I hope that gives you a little of a rundown of how it works 'downunder' but I will add the direct link to the site as well incase you would like to read up a bit further!
http://www.amcos.com.au/index.htm
Peace and Love
Kitana



------------------
Those that try....Succeed!

Kitana,

So who collects the performance royalties? In the US, Radio doesn't pay performance royalties (i.e. to the people playing/singing on the recording versus who wrote it) but it was my understanding that most other countries DO pay for performance. Do the same PRO's collect for this?

Brian

Yes Brian,

In Australia the Commercial Radio stations pay millions of dollars in their licences.....this covers their royality payments.....Here in Australia it is 61 Cents per airplay....( this obviously goes to the writer/writers )...If the Artist is infact different to the writer, that is a matter for the label he/she is signed too and is usually covered in their contract for performance fees.

So for instance: if i was to cover an old classic remixed and release it for Radio Airplay and it was picked up across Australia...the 61 Cents for royalitys would go to the 'original' writer. I would only receive production % of sales. ( which is why so many artists today sampling other peoples music write a 'rap' or new 'bridge', so they can go down as a co-write.)

Each month a computer filed record is kept of EVERY song played on that particular Commercial Radio Station ( community stations have no royality scheme at all)then that file is sent to APRA where it is then gone thru by our helpful and proffessional APRA staff to determain what royalitys go out to what artist, as well as any airplay from overseas commercial stations! (APRA Affiliates)

APRA is a NON PROFIT organization.

This generally happes 3 times a year. It goes without saying, you must be an approved APRA member before any form of royality check is payed to you.( with your works listed on archives with apra to match the royalitys too, for which you can do online)...

Not sure if they do this in the States, but it might interest you to know that we also get payed royalitys for all of our OWN original material when we gig LIVE!....We put in a LIVE PERFORMANCE GIG SHEET once a year and it is calculated and payed accordingly. The venue owners ALSO pay a licence to cover that!
Hope this answers your question

Peace and Love
Kitana

------------------
Those that try....Succeed!