Need a licence to have a radio on at work ! ?

peige

peige

peige

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Small factory with 10 guys working in, they are allowed to have a radio on and all tuned to the same local radio station.

Just recieved a call from a company claiming that I have to buy a licence to do this, no mention of cost at this moment..

Anyone know more, i've looked it up on the internet and the only stuff I can find is from them so i'm not convincend
 
we have had to do the same were i work and we stream it from the internet, some one came in one day, asked us if we had a licence, they were from the,

PERFORMING RIGHTS SOCIETY we now have this bright yellow certificate. cost about £40 for the year.
 
I claim BS on that one... The PRS stuff only applies if you are broadcasting to the public, but as it is a private radio for your staff only I don't see how you need a licence.

Not to mention i've worked in umpteen offices each and every one has had a radio or has streamed music from the web and not once have I ever seen or been asked to buy a licence.
 
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well we run a lan centre so its not just staff that can here it, its not like we play it realy loud. but we were told we would still needed to get one.

also the fact is they came in to us, proved who they were and were they were from.
 
Yeah I seem to remember reading that the law applies if the public can hear it, even if the music isn't intended for them. Stupid.
 
this seems to indicate we do

Also
Workstations, etc.
For music audible to workers at
their work stations or otherwise
during the course of their work in
factories, works and other similar
industrial premises, and in
offices:
The royalty per day (being calculated by
reference to the number of employees
to whom the music is audible) for each
half-hour (or part thereof) of
performance for each unit of 25
employees (or part thereof) is .............


I wonder how many bosses are unaware of this one.. just worked it out for me and it looks like £188 a year
 
Yeah you do need a licence in the workplace, apparently the PRS or whoever the authority is is coming down hard on this just now. I work in a solicitors & there's been emails from the bosses stating that all radio is banned.
 
last i heard if more than 3 people can hear the radio, or music being played then it's classed as public performance and a liscence is required. thou i've never known anyone being caught like this.
 
Did you ask the PRC who do you make the invoice out to for advertising the songs ?

Well.. They don't expect people/Dj's to advertise their products for free, surely !!
 
gavindo said:
well we run a lan centre so its not just staff that can here it, its not like we play it realy loud. but we were told we would still needed to get one.

also the fact is they came in to us, proved who they were and were they were from.
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A bit off topic - you help run a LAN centre? Any chance I could get some info about it from you? I've been discussing setting something up here in scotland with some colleagues and would love to hear some insight into it all. :)
 
I'm not sure if this has had a test case yet though by/against the PRS, if not then you are relying on their interpretation of the law and they don't seem that likely to advertise that they can't claim (if that were the case). It is a rather interesting area given that anyone can listen to any number of free to air radio stations provided they have a receiver - if you have a gathering of 100 people and each has their own radio tuned to the same station is it still a public performance? If not then why does it alter and require a yearly licence because it comes from one radio source rather than 100?
 
theyre scum. bar my mate DJs at got into bbig trouble because he didnt have "original CDs" of the stuff he was playing

no **** sherlock thats because most the stuff he plays is underground techno stuff that doesnt even get released, stuff friends have made etc. also allot of it was from digital only labels who sell there stuff on beatport , djdownload.com etc etc
 
"andy" said:
theyre scum. bar my mate DJs at got into bbig trouble because he didnt have "original CDs" of the stuff he was playing

no **** sherlock thats because most the stuff he plays is underground techno stuff that doesnt even get released, stuff friends have made etc. also allot of it was from digital only labels who sell there stuff on beatport , djdownload.com etc etc
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I don't think I know a single DJ who DJs with CDs that takes original copies of CDs with them to gigs. I saw Annie Mac and Diplo on sunday, and there was plenty of copied CDs being used for their sets.

Almost everything that gets played where I go is a remix of some kind, and as we all know remixes rarely make it on to a proper disc.
 
I think that although i'm pretty certain this is true now i'm still concerned that most of the sources of info about it are from them. When they call me (i'm not calling them) I will ask them for links to goverment sites that referance this so I can check, all the sources I can see are getting money for this.

Reminds me of the waste thing when loads of companys were phoning us offering to sort out our waste certs for quite considerable sums of money but it turned out you could do it direct for very little.
 
Yes, you have to pay the PRS. Basic royalty law.

Likewise if a pub plays any music or has the radio on it has to pay the PRS. Same thing.


peige said:
IWhen they call me (i'm not calling them) I will ask them for links to goverment sites that referance this so I can check, all the sources I can see are getting money for this.
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Here you are:

http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/playingbroadcastingonline/music_for_businesses/Pages/default.aspx

A lot of people don't know the law regarding royalies but it is true. Every country has a recognised body that collects and distributes royalties for artists. In the UK it's the PRS.
 
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