All Saints, Blakenhall & Parkfield Business Community
If you're a small business owner and need to use copyright material owned by others in the course of your trade or profession, you'll need to obtain a licence.
This applies to all kinds of businesses, from hairdressers wanting to play background music in their salons, as well as to pubs and restaurants. Authors or publishers who want to use photographs or extracts of written work will also be affected.
To obtain a licence you can approach one of the many organisations known as 'collecting societies'. These bodies agree licences with users on behalf of copyright owners and collect royalties owed to them.
Major issuers of copyright licences include:
· Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) - The CLA licenses business, education and government copying of extracts from books, journals and periodicals, paying authors and publishers their share of fees.
· Performing Rights Society (PRS) - The PRS issues licences and distributes fees on behalf of music copyright holders.
· Music Publishers' Association Limited - The Association provides contact details of copyright owners if you want to photocopy printed music, arrange music or use music in a film or commercial. This will allow you to contact the copyright owner directly.
· Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) - The MCPS licenses the recording of copyright music - contact it if you want to record copyright musical works.
Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) - PPL issues licences for the public performance or broadcasting of sound recordings. Generally, any business that plays recorded music should have a PPL licence.
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