Licensing, PRS and PPL

I want to play my music to an audience how can I do this?

1. You would need to get a licence - why is this? 
Because of Copyright; getting permission from the writer of the music. PPL and PRS can give you the rights to play that music. All radio stations must have a PRS and MCPS licence to be a fully licensed station

2. Who would you have to contact to get a licence  to play music on the radio?
To gain a licence you would contact PPL and submit an application via the website. 

3. Name 5 types of licence for radio broadcasting.

Commercial Radio Licence For commercial stations broadcasting on AM/FM and for all DAB, Satellite and Cable radio services. 

Community Radio LicenceFor all community radio stations that have been granted a community radio licence by Ofcom. 

Hospital Radio LicenceFor all Hospital Radio Stations broadcasting on any platform. 

Long Term Radio Licence For long term restricted services e.g. student radio, prison radio and army base radio.

Short Term Radio Licence For short term restricted services, including events, festivals and test transmissions that last up to 28 days.

4. What is Net Broadcasting Revenue (NBR)? 
Net Broadcasting Revenue is 85% of the gross value whether in money, or money's worth received by the Licensee from broadcasts pursuant to this Licence including, advertising sponsorship, subscriptions, donations, barter and contra deals, and other revenue directly related to the programmes broadcast. 

External costs incurred by the licensee in producing sponsored Outside Broadcast events may be deducted. If such costs exceed the value of the sponsorship revenue the value of the said sponsorship revenue shall be nil. The amount by which such costs exceed sponsorship revenue may not be set off against other non-sponsorship revenue.

5. If you are a Community Station with a NBR of less than £22, 238 how much would your PRS Royalty fee be?
£667

6. What does MCPS stand for?
MCPS stands for The Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society.

7. What is the difference between PRS and MCPS?
PRS are your Performing Rights and MCPS are your Mechanical Rights. Your performing right entitles you to earn money whenever a song or composition that you have written is played or performed in public. This could be either on television or radio, listened to or downloaded off the internet, performed live, or played in a public space such as a shop or bar.

Mechanical rights entitle you to earn money whenever a song or composition that you have written is reproduced. This includes when your works are recorded onto a physical product (such as a CD or audio-visual product), or listened to or downloaded off the internet. 

8. What is PPL?
PPL issues licences to hundreds of thousands of businesses and organisations from all sectors across the UK playing recorded music and/or music videos in public. These can range from bars, nightclubs,shops and hotels to offices, factories, gyms, schools, universities and local authorities. PPL also licensesmusic suppliers to copy recorded music for services such as in-store music systems, jukeboxes, compilations for exercise classes and in-flight entertainment systems.

9. Would you need a PPL licence to play music on the radio?
Yes, The permission of the copyright holder/s of recorded music is required by law before it can be played and a PPL licence gives you this permission, allowing you to play virtually all recorded music readily available in the UK simply, quickly and legally.

10. What is the difference between PPL and PRS?
PL and PRS for Music are two separate collection societies and represent different rights of the music. PRS for Music represents the copyright of the lyrics and composition of the music and collects the royalties for the songwriters, composers and music publishers. PPL represents the rights of the actual sound recording and collect the royalties for the performers and record companies.

11. What licence would you need to produce a podcast -  which was broadcast online?
The podcast licence covers music used in a podcasts where music and speech are offered in an audio only download. For more information on what is covered in the licence please refer to the podcast summary.

Assignment One - Music Programming - Types and Styles

Pure Radio

For our first assignment we have to develop a new programme for a brand new Community Radio Station; broadcasting to the Havant area of Hampshire. First we had to create a brand new radio station.

My radio station is a Community Radio play which plays current hits and popular hits of the last 6 to 12 months and songs from previous decades including the 80's and 90's. The target audience is young adult and adults ages 25 to 40; my radio station is based in Portsmouth and is broadcast to the Hampshire area. My radio station will fill my listeners needs by giving them local news that they may need to hear; such as traffic updates and news updates in the area. My radio station is important for parents and people that take long journeys to work because they need to know traffic updates and to keep them entertained on their journeys.

I researched other radio stations like mine;

• Heart - Heart is a network of 17 adult contemporary local radio stations in central & southern England and north Wales. Each station broadcasts local breakfast and drive time shows and simulcasts network programming at all other times. Playing songs from the 80's - now. Such as Phil Collins, Lady Gaga, Toni Braxton etc.  Heart radio meets it's listeners needs by doing quizzes and playing music from previous decades to satisfy all ages. Heart FM broadcast appropriate and relevant content that immediately connects with listeners’ lives. 

I think that Heart FM caters to its listeners by catering to its target audience; Housewives with Children. They do this by talking about typical things housewives would talk about for example on the Heart website they are talking about Christmas; hitting their target market and giving 'Their Perfect Christmas Gift Guide'. They also cater to the target audience with the type of music they play; for example the music they've played today is a mix of newer and older music such as U2, Take That and Olly Murs. Heart FM also connects to their listeners by the type of competitions they run; like Spa Breaks, money winning competitions and prizes for the whole family.

• Capital FM - Capital is a radio network of nine independent contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom which are owned and operated by Global Radio, launching on 3 January 2011. Capital was previously known as Power FM Mix, One, Galaxy and Hit Music at various times. Playing new cutting edge music, current hits, popular hits of the last 6 to 12 months and current chart music. They weekly showcase the Top 40 songs on iTunes. Playing music such as Swedish House Mafia, The Wanted, Rihanna, Flo Rida etc. Capital FM meets it's listeners needs by playing the biggest and best music of right now with massive competitions, up-to-date local news and traffic & travel to give listeners the best combination of quality programming and great local content.  

Capital FM's main target audience is 15-34 year olds interested in popular music, interested and know a lot about the media and are on trend with whats going on in the celebrity world. Capital FM caters to this by giving it's listeners the latest news on celebrities that are big in the public eye such as One Direction, The Wanted, Cheryl Cole and Taylor Swift. They also connect with their listeners on a social level by connecting through social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter; this is important because now-adays a majority of the British public live on the internet. They also connect with their listeners by the type of music played; playing music such as Maroon 5, Calvin Harris and Rita Ora. Like Heart FM, Capital also connect to their listeners with their competitions; they are different to Hearts as they have a different audience; they give away concert tickets, chances to meet their favourite celebrities and the latest gadgets to be released and other things the younger generation are interested in. 

• Express FM - Express FM is a Non Profit community radio based in Portsmouth and broadcast to South East Hampshire. There aim is to broadcast stuff their listeners can really use such as information on how to get a better job, how to switch on to the local music scene, how you can make a difference to life in the community, and much more. Playing songs from artists from different genres to cater to all groups listening; such as Keane, Muse, Jake Bugg, Lianne Le Havas etc. 

Express FM is a 

I think that The Breeze is the biggest competition for my radio station as it is a local radio station as well and they fulfill all the listener needs my radio station fulfills. They also play the same music to satisfy different ages from 20-45.

Capital FM is also competition because of how they keep their listeners hooked by airing competitions and the weekly Top 40 chart.

Heart is another big competition for my radio station as they are one of the biggest radio stations in the country and they also air lots of competitions and the listeners are around the age range that my radio station listeners are such as parents and people that have long journeys to work.                                                                          

BBC Research

Radio Research

As part of our task today we had to find the 5 Largest Radio Stations in Hampshire; many radio stations broadcast to Hampshire but we had to find the ones based in Hampshire;

Capital FM South Coast

Population: 1,769,000
Reach: 188,000
Average Hours per Listener: 6.8 Hours

Listening Share in TSA (%): 3.30%

Wave 105

Population: 1,776,000

Reach: 356,000

Average Hours per Listener: 

Listening Share in TSA (%):

Heart Radio South Coast

Population:1,796,000

Reach: 184,000

Average Hours per Listener: 8.4 Hours

Listening Share in TSA (%): 7.00%

BBC Radio Solent

Population: 1,572,000

Reach:  273,000

Average Hours per Listener: 10.7 Hours

Listening Share in TSA (%): 8.30%

Jack FM

Population: 623,000

Reach: 116,000

Average Hours per Listener: 6.5 Hours

Listening Share in TSA (%): 3.30%