There is currently a high profile campaign to ensure that any organisation which plays music within the workplace has permission to do so. Numerous business premises have been contacted by the Performing Rights Society and may well also be contacted by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) and Video Performance Limited (VPL) to check whether the proper authorisations are in place. As a result, each business SHOULD review the information below and consider whether or not the premises need to obtain a licence.
When and where is a licence needed?
Most music is copyrighted which means that the owner’s permission is needed before it can be played. It is an offence to play copyright music without permission.
Any music played within a business, to more than one person, whether for employees or to the general public, is seen as a public performance. This means that any music played on TV, Radio, CD or DVD, which can heard by more than one person requires permission to avoid breaching copyright laws.
For example, playing a Radio, CD or DVD in a commercial kitchen, garage, restaurant or other work area such as factory floor, using a TV or radio in a reception area or canteen, on hold telephone music, music used in training videos or promotional material all requires permission.
What happens if you fail to obtain a licence?
1. If you have no PRS licence and music is played in breach of the copyright laws they can bring a civil action against you seeking the licence fee and damages for which there are no fixed levels;
2. The damages can be increased if they are of the opinion that the breach of copyright has been ongoing for some time and if previous warnings or advice to obtain a licence has been ignored;
3. The PRS can bring an action against individuals who may have been in breach and it is therefore vital that employees comply with any licence requirements.
For more on this please get in touch for a music licence briefing.
