Canada Music Biz Bites Dentists

KingFish

SOCAN begins enforcement of fees in offices that broadcast copywritten music over loudspeakers such as in dentists' lobbies.

Those offices that pipe music through speakers are now paying about $100 to $200 per year, depending on the square footage of the office. Dentists do not need to pay a fee if they play AM or FM radio in separate rooms for individual use. Similar copyright laws exist in the United States. Some dentists, doctors and law offices choose to use background music services like Muzak or DMX Music, which take care of the licensing drudgery via subscription fees. Those who opt to play their own iPods, CDs, records or tapes are required to pay the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; Broadcast Music Inc., or BMI; and SESAC, a performing-rights organization. These organizations represent songwriters, composers and publishers. Because these groups represent different copyright owners, professionals who play their own music in their offices must pay fees to some or all of the organizations. Music played through headsets worn by patients may be considered public performance, too, since multiple patients use the headsets throughout the day, according to Jerry Bailey, a spokesman for BMI. If the office is particularly small, they may be exempt from paying fees for radio.

This will likely cost more to enforce than is collected. -KF

Source: Wired

EMT

Fooking intellectual property. What next, playing your music in the car? With the windows down? Come on.

KingFish

I wouldn't be surprised. They are considering music played over headphones as a public broadcast if the headphones are used by more than one person in a day. What kind of logic is this?

KF