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The Association of British Concert Promoters (ABCP), which represents concert halls across the UK, has published a warning to the industry that forthcoming increases in the royalty for the concert performance of classical music in copyright to be levied by the Performing Right Society (PRS), could damage the future financial stability of all music promoters and venues.
For two years now the ABCP and others have been talking with the PRS, trying to achieve a reduction in its new tariff, which was announced in July 2000 without, in their view, effectively consulting classical music promoters and concert halls. The PRS imposed an increase in royalties that would take the tariff up by annual increments from 3.3%, the rate established in 1990, to 7.5% by 2007. Most promoters and venues are therefore now already paying 4.8%. By contrast, the royalty for performing rock and pop music in concert is set at only 3%, a level achieved when the matter was referred to a Copyright Tribunal in 1988. With more and more musicians switching over from genre to genre as orchestras play Lennon & McCartney, jazz musicians playing Mahler and rock musicians play Bach, the ABCP is arguing for the establishment of a single royalty rate for all performing music in copyright. Earlier this year its legal team took the decision to refer the PRS to the Copyright Tribunal, the only way available to challenge the royalty increase, which has led to the freezing of the tariff at 4.3% until the Tribunal makes a ruling. The referral now has the full backing of the industry, supported by the Theatrical Management Association, the Association of British Orchestras, the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management, the British Arts Festivals Association, Concert Promoters Association and Raymond Gubbay Ltd. For more details contact Robert Sanderson who is leading the consortium?s campaign. e: robertsanderson@btinternet.com