A new scheme has been launched to help make it easier for retailers to avoid hefty penalties for playing copyright-protected music.
From broadcasting television to playing music with Spotify or iTunes in-store, all retailers must hold permissions from music artists in the form of a licence before broadcasting music – or risk getting penalised.
But a new scheme has launched which streamlines compliance by enabling retailers to go to just one place to obtain a licence.
OneMusic Australia earlier this month launched the Retail and Service Provider music licence scheme, which is designed specifically to help retailers comply with laws relating to copyright with ease.
The new service launched by the body prevents retailers from securing a music licence from the songwriter body APRA AMCOS and a separate music licence the recording artist body PPCA.
Instead, it allows retailers to obtain the licence from OneMusic Australia – preventing them from going to multiple bodies to ensure they’re compliant.
The scheme provides cover for a range of common uses of music in retail goods and service businesses who will only pay for the types of cover they need.
The organisation says it consulted extensively with the retail community before launching the product.
OneMusic says that a retail organisation of less than 51 square metres of customer space with a radio or TV need a budget of just $85 a year for the licensing costs.