Music in the work place.
17 August 2009, 09:17 AM
#1
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Music in the work place.
I've listened to a Radio for the past 12 years at work. Last week the company started getting phone calls (3 in a week) from a company called PRS music. Basically they've been asking if we listen to a radio, watch TV, listen to Cd's etc while at work.
Doing a little research on the internet reveals that if you listen to a radio at work, you are required to buy a licence. They can also back date you for how ever many years/hours you have do this. Apparently listening to the radio is taking money out of artist pockets
.
Luckily they have only spoken to 2 people (me and a director) who have denighed everything. We have now recieved a letter informing us it's a legal requirement to reply stating if we do or do not listen to a radio, cd's, watch tv etc in the work place. They can also turn up and demand a search of the office.
Reading some stories off the internet, it seams like PRS are picking on small firms that are unaware (as we were) that a music license it required. Apparently it's easy money, and they are prepared to go to court to get the money.
Anyone else on here been contacted by PRS?
We're trying to decide if this is really just a random call from PRS or we've been grassed on by a work collegue who is currently off sick for a few months and hates the fact I listen to a radio.
Doing a little research on the internet reveals that if you listen to a radio at work, you are required to buy a licence. They can also back date you for how ever many years/hours you have do this. Apparently listening to the radio is taking money out of artist pockets
.Luckily they have only spoken to 2 people (me and a director) who have denighed everything. We have now recieved a letter informing us it's a legal requirement to reply stating if we do or do not listen to a radio, cd's, watch tv etc in the work place. They can also turn up and demand a search of the office.
Reading some stories off the internet, it seams like PRS are picking on small firms that are unaware (as we were) that a music license it required. Apparently it's easy money, and they are prepared to go to court to get the money.
Anyone else on here been contacted by PRS?
We're trying to decide if this is really just a random call from PRS or we've been grassed on by a work collegue who is currently off sick for a few months and hates the fact I listen to a radio.
17 August 2009, 09:37 AM
#2
Trust me, PRS are all over this like a rash. There is also another licence you may need, its called PPL (Public Performance Licence).
Personally, i think its loony that you have to pay to listen to the radio, surely the BBC are paying the PRS/PPL already?
I mean, the radio is for public ears isnt it?!
PS. Even if you have music on hold you need this.
Personally, i think its loony that you have to pay to listen to the radio, surely the BBC are paying the PRS/PPL already?
I mean, the radio is for public ears isnt it?!
PS. Even if you have music on hold you need this.
17 August 2009, 10:16 AM
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My old fella had a phone call from them.
He told them to f**k off! and if they turned up he'd kick them off the premises.
They are jumped up little hitlers
He told them to f**k off! and if they turned up he'd kick them off the premises.
They are jumped up little hitlers
17 August 2009, 10:45 AM
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That they may well be but if they write to you then I think you have a legal obligation to make a declaration to them. If you give them reason to go to the courts no doubt they will do to get access to your premises and a declaration one way or another from you. Just an easy way of exploiting the copyright laws and making lots of money. The newspapers do a similar thing.
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17 August 2009, 11:19 AM
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There is a way round it. As I'm the only one who listens to the radio (very low volume) I could say I listen via headphones, which means you don't have to buy a license, as only one person is listening. I could keep headphones next to the radio, so if an inspection did occur, I simply plug the headphones in.
The biggest problem I have is that the director, and my Dads business partner hates the radio on in the work place. Even though studies have shown it improves moral, work productivity etc. So this is the perfect excuse to ban my Radio.
My old man retires end of November, thus Director becoming MD.
Days will drag life **** if I have to sit in silence all bl00dy day.
The biggest problem I have is that the director, and my Dads business partner hates the radio on in the work place. Even though studies have shown it improves moral, work productivity etc. So this is the perfect excuse to ban my Radio.
My old man retires end of November, thus Director becoming MD.
Days will drag life **** if I have to sit in silence all bl00dy day.
17 August 2009, 11:28 AM
#12
We had this in the factory last year. Had a phone call from them and basically we had to fork out for a license to play music.
I dont think it was much - but its just another bill for our small company to pay.
Most of the people here have their own music, iPods etc, but for the two or three that dont we have always had the radio on. A couple of days with Heart in your ear will make you go buy an ipod anyway.
I dont think it was much - but its just another bill for our small company to pay.
Most of the people here have their own music, iPods etc, but for the two or three that dont we have always had the radio on. A couple of days with Heart in your ear will make you go buy an ipod anyway.
17 August 2009, 11:32 AM
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I think this will be the perfect excuse to get all music banned in our office.
I'll go out of my mind if I have to sit in silence all day. How bl00dy boring.
17 August 2009, 11:33 AM
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17 August 2009, 11:56 AM
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I can understand if you play music from CD's etc
but it seems odd for it to apply to the radio
but then the copyright industry is lobbying very hard for extensions to copyright and even more investigatory powers, (i think they have some of the most intrusive powers anyway).
If they could find a way of charging you to play a song in your head then they would.
but it seems odd for it to apply to the radio
but then the copyright industry is lobbying very hard for extensions to copyright and even more investigatory powers, (i think they have some of the most intrusive powers anyway).
If they could find a way of charging you to play a song in your head then they would.
17 August 2009, 02:14 PM
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I'm in Roofing & Cladding, where we work on our own projects. So there is little conversation between employees regarding work. As everyone is working all day, there is little general conversation through the day. Some, but not much. So listening to the Radio goes a long way to taking the bordom of sitting in silence away.
Work in a large office where there is lots of conversation/banter, then a Radio is less of an issue.
17 August 2009, 05:51 PM
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I's exactly what I'd do. They've got a limited budget and will go after the easy targets. I understand we aren't talking about a large corporation here. Do you imagine they're going to send private investigators to every small outfit in the country?
17 August 2009, 09:51 PM
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There is a way round it. As I'm the only one who listens to the radio (very low volume) I could say I listen via headphones, which means you don't have to buy a license, as only one person is listening. I could keep headphones next to the radio, so if an inspection did occur, I simply plug the headphones in.
The biggest problem I have is that the director, and my Dads business partner hates the radio on in the work place. Even though studies have shown it improves moral, work productivity etc. So this is the perfect excuse to ban my Radio.
My old man retires end of November, thus Director becoming MD.
Days will drag life **** if I have to sit in silence all bl00dy day.
The biggest problem I have is that the director, and my Dads business partner hates the radio on in the work place. Even though studies have shown it improves moral, work productivity etc. So this is the perfect excuse to ban my Radio.
My old man retires end of November, thus Director becoming MD.
Days will drag life **** if I have to sit in silence all bl00dy day.
Trust me I'm not nit picking, just suggesting something they would moan about to try get you.
17 August 2009, 10:12 PM
#24
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I work for an organisation with a workforce of over 1000 employees and the radio and all forms of music players were banned across the business campus in Dec 2007 because of this PRS bollocks. It doesn't matter whether the type of business is customer facing or purely private, if the business environment is communal (ie more than one employee/customer can hear the music) the license is a legal requirement to play any published copyright material. It isn't just limited to the radio either, CD players and MP3 players all come under this bureaucratic bull$hit.
Last edited by Jonnys3; 17 August 2009 at 10:13 PM. Reason: missing word
18 August 2009, 08:49 AM
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I work for an organisation with a workforce of over 1000 employees and the radio and all forms of music players were banned across the business campus in Dec 2007 because of this PRS bollocks. It doesn't matter whether the type of business is customer facing or purely private, if the business environment is communal (ie more than one employee/customer can hear the music) the license is a legal requirement to play any published copyright material. It isn't just limited to the radio either, CD players and MP3 players all come under this bureaucratic bull$hit.
Just me being antagonistic, but IS it bureaucratic bull$hit really? If you had recorded a popular song, would you really be happy to make all your money just from downloads, even though many more people were able to benefit from your work for free, if a licence wasn't purchased? It might be easy to say that you expect all artists to "donate" their music after the initial sales rush, but is that really fair? I'm not sure it is, but then i don't have to fork out for a licence.
18 August 2009, 08:54 AM
#30
I think it is;
If a worker brings his radio to work and uses it, then it should be his responsibility not the company he works for.
It takes the goat that as soon as that worker clocks off at the end of the day, he can jump in his car, wind down the windows and crank up the radio without the fear of a bunch of PRS activitsts chasing after him for their "fee" (although if too loud it may get plod's attention for being a public nuisance).
If a worker brings his radio to work and uses it, then it should be his responsibility not the company he works for.
It takes the goat that as soon as that worker clocks off at the end of the day, he can jump in his car, wind down the windows and crank up the radio without the fear of a bunch of PRS activitsts chasing after him for their "fee" (although if too loud it may get plod's attention for being a public nuisance).
Last edited by ALi-B; 18 August 2009 at 08:56 AM.