ABSTRACT
First, the matter of music copyright. Virtually every CD, cassette and music label carries the words: ‘All rights of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved. Unauthorized public performance, broadcasting and copying of this record prohibited.’ This is to protect the separate rights of the composer, publisher, performers and the recording company, who together enabled the disc to be made. The statement is generally backed by law – in Britain the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988). It would obviously be unfair on the original artists if there were no legal sanctions against the copying of their work by someone else and its subsequent remarketing on another label. Similarly, broadcasters, who in part earn their living through the effort of recording artists and others, must ensure that the proper payments are made regarding the use of their work. As part of a ‘blanket’ agreement giving ‘authorized broadcasting use’, most radio stations are required to make some form of return to the societies representing the music publishers and record manufacturers, indicating what has been played. In Britain these are, respectively, the Performing Right Society (PRS) and Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL). It is the producer’s responsibility to see that any such system is carefully followed.
