Performing Rights/ TV licence

[Earl Smith]

Yesterday I had a visit from the German version of them. I do not have radios or TV´s in my shop as its too noisy with the embroidery machines running. They pointed to my computer and said it was possible to hear the Radio or TV on that. Now Ive got to pay a licence to use the internet in the shop.
Is that the same in the UK? If not then it will be soon.

[pisquee]

To play the radio/tv/music in a public place, generally you need a PRS license, which is billed on an annual basis. This has been happeneing for a few years now, and I see stickers in windows of many businesses to say they are licensed, so I guess the initial shock and outrage has gone now, and it is just accepted.
There are internet radio stations which you can listen to to circumvent this, which one of our stockists does. It is all unsigned bands, and/or bands/musicians who have given permission for their work to played without royalties.

[Earl Smith]

I hear what you are saying about unsigned bands etc but I can still turn over the channel and listen to Radio two, so I have to pay.
I had a shop in the UK back in the 80´s and I paid the PRS but I had a radio on so expected it.

[pisquee]

Knowing the shop owner in question, he will have researched it fully, and it will be above board - it did seem quite a bespoke solution he had found, with the internet 'radio' station branded as if it was the shops own, with advertising etc all making it appear like a 'proper' radio station, just that the songs were royalty free and unknown, so no royalties or license to pay. Am sure he would have had to pay something for it, but it would have been cheaper than paying PRS.

[GoonerGary]

In the UK there are two royalty companies which have to be paid, parasites the lot of them and their tactics to get money. They could ring your shop in Germany, pose as a customer and listen for Kraftwerk in the background.

You would need to check the laws for Germany, having the ability to play music and actually broadcasting to customers may be a different thing. I know if you buy a computer with a TV card in it, BBC licensing are informed. Who knows, now that BBC iplayers are mainstream?