School Radio - Licensing

[crc-ict]

We want to introduce a pupil radio show at our primary school and I am taking the lead on setting it up.

 

We intend to produce an occasional show playing combined recorded music, recorded speech and live speech content, 'broadcasting' via the school intranet using Windows Media Encoder and Media Player.

 

I am getting a headache trying to work out what licenses we need to do this! We already have the standard PPL and PRS licences covering 'public performance' but as I understand it there are other licenses we need for the 'broadcast' element.

 

As far as I can see, the Student Radio licence from PPL covers us with their requirements, but I can't see for the life of me what licence we might need from PRS? I'm thinking nothing at all as it would be covered under the performance licence we already have, but I can't find any firm information to confirm or deny this.

 

Has anyone else done anything similar who can advise?

 

Many thanks!

[Steve21]

If you're only using recorded stuff from your school you don't need them really. If you're using recorded music as in copyrighted, it'll depend on who owns the licenses for the individual songs etc.

 

It's only the copyright/internet or external streaming that starts stacking up the licenses.

 

Steve

[foofighterjim]

Have a look at this: What licences do I need? | School Radio Broadcasting

 

Give PPLUK and CEFM a call, you may have agreements with the LEA that may already cover you.

[crc-ict]

Thanks guys.

@Steve21 It would be commercial music that they were wanting to play, current chart hits basically.

@foofighterjim I have seen that Synergy page which is where I found the PPL Student Radio licence. I'm just trying to find a reference to confirm that I don't need any sort of PRS licence - I can't get into my head why I wouldn't need one!

 

Thanks

[Steve21]

Thanks guys.

@Steve21 It would be commercial music that they were wanting to play, current chart hits basically.

@foofighterjim I have seen that Synergy page which is where I found the PPL Student Radio licence. I'm just trying to find a reference to confirm that I don't need any sort of PRS licence - I can't get into my head why I wouldn't need one!

 

Thanks

 

Basically PPL is on behalf of those whos music it is, PRS is for others to use it.

 

For example if your students cover a piece of music and you broadcast it, PPL won't cover it, as it's not in front of an audience. So PRS is required.

 

Steve

[benjaminstevens93]

I'm pretty sure we had the following when my school had a radio station:

 

PRS: Limited Online Music licence (LOML)

PPL: Small Webcaster Licence

 

Ours was broadcast across the internet and through the local intranet, so may differ slightly in licensing. But as your basically 'streaming' it should be the same, and would cover you if you ever wanted to put the stream on the school website. The only thing I would say is that it needs to be 'live' and that the audience cannot influence their listening experience by, for example, skipping tracks or pausing the broadcast.

[mjs_mjs]

From PRS...

 

I have a PPL licence, why do I need a licence from PRS for Music?

 

PPL 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.

PRS for Music can not advise you about PPL licences, for more information about PPL, please go to their website: PPL - PPL licenses recorded music played in public

 

Radio licensing FAQs

 

I think you do need it as,

PRS – The Performing Right Society

PRS works for composers, lyricists and music publishers, who are its members, to license the public performance and broadcast of copyright works, collect the licence fees, assemble information about the use of that music, and then distribute the royalties.

[benjaminstevens93]

Yeah as mjs_mjs said, you definitely need both