Make sure you know your PPLs from your PRSs or you’ll certainly be out of tune

WHAT'S HAPPENED RECENTLY:
Retailers are required to have both a Performing Right Society (PRS) and a Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) licence to play music on the shop floor. It doesn't matter if you play recorded music such as CDs or MP3 in your store or just a radio: you still need both licences. This is because one organisation collects on behalf of performers of music, and the other on behalf of songwriters.

Licence tariffs change on a regular basis. Depending on the size of store PRS fees start at £73.60 per annum and PPL costs from 15p a day. Earlier this year the PPL was forced to refund some fees to retailers it had overcharged between 2005 and 2009, costing it £20m.

It is not necessary to pay fees for music that is no longer protected by copyright which expires 50 years after the date of release. However, the PPL is looking to extend the length of time that copyright lasts. 

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