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.