Performing Rights Society

[frank]

Has anyone received (UK) a letter or phone call from these bunch of clowns claiming that you need to pay them some money to listen to the radio at work?

Has anyone (UK) been prosecuted for failing to pay them because you allowed your employees to listen to the radio while at work?

If you only listen to 'Classic FM' where all the music played is from 'Beethoven' or similar, where no copyright exists, can you still be prosecuted for not paying these clowns?

So many questions, so little booze, no wonder I'm wasting away

Any comments Abe? - where do we stand?

[nike123]

Has anyone received (UK) a letter or phone call from these bunch of clowns claiming that you need to pay them some money to listen to the radio at work?

Has anyone (UK) been prosecuted for failing to pay them because you allowed your employees to listen to the radio while at work?

If you only listen to 'Classic FM' where all the music played is from 'Beethoven' or similar, where no copyright exists, can you still be prosecuted for not paying these clowns?

So many questions, so little booze, no wonder I'm wasting away

Any comments Abe? - where do we stand?

I starting to regret decision of my country to join to EU after this news!

Big brother is closer and closer!

[fowlie]

yes its true they have been walking into barbers shops and garages,anywhere the public could here the radio and you have to pay or they will take you to court its been going on up here for a couple of years.

[Grizzly]

Yep.
My Son works in a large cycle warehouse style outlet.
And because the charges are based of sales floor area.
If they continue to have the radio on in the adjacent workshop.
Their charges would be the same as a large supermarket with huge numbers of members of the public, "listening to the offending broadcast music".
Personally I think it will kill radio long term, much the same as boxing only on sky has ruined viewing figures.
Steve,

[chillin out]

Doesn't the TV license (scam) cover you for listening to the radio?

If everyone in the workshop has a tv license then they are not 'public' they could be classed as members.

Same goes for a shop, 90% of people own a tv license so what the problem?
You could stick a sign on the door saying if you don't own a tv license then tell a member of staff so they can turn off the radio while you are in the shop.

Most big shops buy special cd's or have their own radio broadcast.

I would love to hear the ins and outs of this though.

Chillin

[chillin out]

What about taxi drivers??????

If they play the radio while on hire could they get the dreaded letter as well???

Chillin

[frank]

What if the 'company' didn't provide the radio but one of the 'employees' brought his own radio in to listen to?
Could the employer still be prosecuted?

What about the 'Electricians' site radio? (we all know electricians can't work without listening to a radio )

[chemi-cool]

Saturday night problems...........

I think its the same all over the world,

Portable radios can not be charged, only stationary units in the house.

Cant you put up a big sign stating that the music is for privet listening only??

[Chunk]

Kwik-Fit, an Edinburgh-based chain of car repair garages, has been slapped with a bill for £200,000 in damages simply because its mechanics switched on their radios.

The lawsuit has been brought by the Performing Rights Society which collects royalties for songwriters and performers.

The PRS says Kwik-Fit mechanics were using personal radios while at work and the music (which is protected by copyright) could be heard by colleagues and customers. This act of playing or performing music in public renders the firm guilty of copyright infringement.

At the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Lord Emslie refused to dismiss the case and ruled that the action could go ahead.

The PRS gave evidence from a countrywide inspection which demonstrated that music had been played audibly on more than 250 occasions during and after 2005.

Lord Emslie stated, "The allegations are of a widespread and consistent picture emerging over many years whereby routine copyright infringement in the workplace was, or inferentially must have been, known to and 'authorised' or 'permitted' by local and central management."

[multisync]

The fee covers a household. If you are not at home then that doesn't apply and hence not covered -no matter how many people have one. If Wembley stadium had 90,000 people and 89,999 had a licence it would still have to buy it's own

The TV lic is not relevant to this as it is a copyright issue not a licence one.

Multisync
London

[monkey spanners]

How long will it be before you can't get a radio in a van, like the smoking ban?

[JohnFS]

Surely the broadcaster pays the royalty or copy right to the artist or record label? And it should be based on the audience size?

[Plank!]

This is not an EU law, its been in place in the UK for years - its why wetherspoons does not have music played in their pubs
You need a PE licence to play music if its heard by 6 people or more in a workplace, if anyone starts to dance thats extra