Oz clubs say No! to music industry fee hikes

Fri,06 Nov 2009 07:15 GMT -4:00 http://www.p2pnet.net/story/30667

- Music industry efforts to force Australian clubs to pay more for their music has seriously backfired.

Starting December 1, the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia  wanted to boost tariffs it demanded from all Oz clubs, hotels, restaurants and cafes wanting to play background music.

By how much?

The Bendigo Club, with a “bistro capacity” of about 50, would see its fees soar from $62.04 to a mind boggling $3,075.80, says the Advertiser.

But rather than fork out, businesses have decided to switch off.

And indie artists will be the ones to benefit.

“Clubs Australia announced at its annual general meeting a new scheme that would allow clubs to bypass the license fee charged by record companies,” says the story, continuing:”

“Clubs Australia will set up a program to source and distribute the music of artists not signed to major record labels and who are consequently exempt from the restaurant tariff.

“As part of the new scheme, local musicians will be given the opportunity to sell their music in clubs, while money earned from the sale of background music CDs will be used to establish a fund for talented Australian musicians.”

Two years ago, “the PPCA increased the fee for recorded music in nightclubs by 1400 per cent as well as announcing it is increasing the fee for music played in gyms by 5000 per cent,” thas lubs Australia chief executive officer David Costello saying, adding:

“The music labels are working their way through the dozens of music tariffs paid by small businesses.

“It seems only a matter of time before the PPCA increases fees for music on hold, jukeboxes, conference and pool rooms, squash courts and even swimming pools.

“Clubs are today drawing a line in the sand … ”

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First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi

November, 2009




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