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Music Licence

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itsmefolks | 23:32 Thu 28th Nov 2013 | Law
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I have a shop and am constantly being bombarded by the music licensing people regarding a licence to play music. I do not play music nor want to in my shop. I have had several phone calls almost threatening a fine if I do not pay a fee. Anyone know the law on this and how I stand?? Cheers in advance.
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No problem if you play no music. But if you have a radio playing you will need a licence. It's probably just a speculative call. It may even be scammer
If you don't play music then I don't see why you should pay for a licence, tell them to drop in on you to see for themselves, that what my OH tells them to do.
As long as you do not at music you don't need a PRS license. Not sure what you can do about the harassment though.
Play*
They behave a bit like the BBC with TV licences, try to browbeat and scare people into paying even when they've no reason to.
If you do not play music or have the radio on, ever, then tell them where to go and contact PPL (here). Get your business name marked as licence free.

http://www.ppluk.com
I'll visit your shop if I can. I hate going into shops where I can't hear myself think for the cacophony. But that, after all, is the whole idea. To confuse customers into buying almost anything just to turn round and get out.
I confess, I go round such shops ( if I must) with my fingers in my ears, to the bafflement of the assistants.
As it says in the Bible ( it does, doesn't it ?) There's none so deaf as those who will not hear.
Can't think that a radio which is not intended to broadcast to customers, but is merely for the personal entertainment of an individual employee , and him or her alone ,requires a licence. Garage mechanics are very fond of this practice, but you'll never see a licence in such a garage.
Fred, I think any business that plays any music within the earshot of a non employee has to have the licence.
Even if you only play to employees, such as an office or workshop, you need a licience.

Next time they ring tell them to prove you play music and bring on a prosecution.
Thanks Cassa, I understood it as non employee or members of the public as it were.
I am responsible for dealing with PRS at my workplace. They are the most aggressive, bullying, pushy lot I've ever come across. It's hard to believe that they are actually legally collecting this money. What's harder to believe is they they then give it back to the performers.
To add, there is a very strict and tight formula used to calculate what you pay based on length of shift and number of employees that can hear a radio (also includes TV broadcasting, training videos and on-hold phone music).
You sort of wouldn't mind if the money raised went to promote new music from young artists in need of some cash ...

... but actually a ridiculous percentage of it goes to support the vile hegemony of PRS/PPL and virtually all the rest goes to Phil bloody Collins and Celine blasted Dion and their bloated mega-rich ilk.


© dave's rent-a-rant ltd
i never have a problem with them, they ring me,ask if we play music, i say no and off they go
as rockyracoon as posted they got the idea from the way the bbc nazis threaten people and this has led to a lot more people buying a licence

from wiki

Enforcement

In 2008, PRS for Music began a concerted drive to make commercial premises pay for annual "performance" licences. In one case it told a 61-year-old mechanic that he would have to pay £150 to play his radio while he worked by himself.[12] It also targeted a bakery that played a radio in a private room at the back of the shop.[13] a woman who used a classical radio to calm her horses[14] and community centres that allowed children to sing carols in public.[15] However, questions have been raised about the tactic of targeting small businesses:

"Radio stations pay large amounts of money to licensing organizations PRS and PPL for the music they play, and music has been on the radio for many years. During the war, there were programmes like Music While You Work. Now, many radio stations have features about workplaces. If the PRS forces people to switch their radios off then how are these stations going to survive? Music has to be heard before people go out and buy it." (The Bolton News)[16]

In March 2009, the on line video-sharing site YouTube removed all premium music videos for UK users, even those supplied by record labels, due to a failure to find "mutually acceptable terms for a new licence" with the PRS.[17][18] As a consequence, PRS established the Fair Play for Creators campaign in order to provide a forum where musicians could "publicly demonstrate their concern over the way their work is treated by online businesses".[19] David Arnold, Jazzie B, Billy Bragg, Guy Chambers, Robin Gibb, Pete Waterman, Mike Chapman, Wayne Hector, Pam Sheyne and Debbie Wiseman sent a letter to The Times newspaper in support of the campaign launched by PRS.[20] A rights deal was settled in September 2009 between PRS and Google that allowed YouTube users in UK to view music videos.[21]

Wiltshire Constabulary refused to pay PRS for a £32,000 licence fee in April 2009. Instead the force told all officer and civilian staff that music could no longer be played in their workplaces but that ban excluded patrol cars. A total of 38 of 49 UK police forces currently hold PRS licences.[22]

In May 2009, the British Chambers of Commerce published a survey of business attitudes to the PRS. Just 6% of companies rated their experience as good or excellent. In contrast, over half said their experience had been poor or very poor. Businesses were also asked to submit comments about their experiences. Many of these replies referred to the PRS’ behaviour as “aggressive” and “threatening”.[23]

In October 2009, the PRS apologised to a 56-year-old shelf-stacker at a village in Clackmannanshire for pursuing her for singing to herself while stacking shelves.[24][25] PRS initially told her that she would be prosecuted and fined thousands of pounds if she continued to sing without a "live performance" licence. However PRS subsequently acknowledged its mistake.[26]
am i in danger of prosecution for my rendition of nessun dorma during my monthly bath?
Only if we all come round to listen ...
If you search on the web for 'licence free music' you will find lots of music that has no royalty or copyright attached. If you play only this music to whom does the money that the PRS go if you buy a licence?
jomifl i think it is the same way the bbc licence works even if you never watch a bbc programme and only view freeview or sky you still need to pay for a licence

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