Thing is, though, I often buy an album because I like a particular song I've heard on the radio. Now the radio's gone, I probably won't be buying as much new music, purely because I'm not as aware of it, and I'm sure I won't be alone in this.

Also, if I understand the way the PRS get their money from radio stations, the amount they get is based on the station's audience figures and advertising revenue - so the less people who are listening to a particular radio station (also leading to less advertising revenue), the less they'll have to pay the PRS, yes? If that's the case, then surely the PRS are shooting themselves in the foot here - and the music industry as a whole will lose out on more sales too, as people might not hear that new up-and-coming band's track on the radio and therefore won't necessarily be aware of their album.

Maybe the PRS have worked out they can earn more money by going after small companies, rather than relying on income from the radio stations and pubs, clubs, shops etc?


I think we're all aware of the requirement for public-facing companies, such as high street shops, bars, clubs etc. But I think what has changed recently is how they're now targeting small companies with 5 or 6 staff, private offices, even people who work from home. I'm not saying what they're doing is against the law, because obviously it isn't otherwise they wouldn't be doing it. I do think, though, if this is now they're chosen strategy, they should be doing a advertising or awareness campaign to make this more common knowledge - "PAY UP, OR TURN OFF" (hmm, might copyright that, and see how they'll like it!).

I wonder if there has actually been a test case on this issue. If it's a recent change in stratagy then it may not actually be a fair interpretation of the actual law. I suppose that going after small companies likely to be fairly safe because they won't have the financial resources to stand up to PRS and tell them to bog off.

So.... if you are in a work vehicle with 3 passengers (a builders van or something) and you have the radio on driving off to a job does that mean you need to cough up? Wouldnt this just be the same as a family of people listening to the radio in the car?

Technically, it's a work environment, so I guess you'd have to cough up - I'd like to see the PRS threaten a gang of burly builders, though!

Tell them to [LIFTED] off. They have no legal right to access the building and without proof they haven't got a hope in hell in court.

+1

PaRaSites

Didn't they threaten to take Quick Fit to court? Something to do with their license being for staff only but customers could hear it too, so they wanted them to pay more for the license.

It turns out there are PRS offices in Peterborough.
Walked past it today. It would appear to be their national sales office but I couldn't find its address anywhere on the PRS website.

How are they going to know if there are radios? Surely they can't go round and inspect every small business?

well, the boss is out of the office today but we've had three calls from the PRS asking for him. Apparently, they're now saying that they can do us a "discount rate" on the licence - which makes me suspect that they're desperate for some (any) money from us. If the amount they charge isn't fixed to a set amount, based on the company's size and circumstances, then aren't they just making a price up - seeing what they can get away with charging us?!! The sneaky barstewards!

Anyway, it's not really relevant to us now, seeing that the boss has got rid of the radios now. He can tell them to go whistle (as long as it's not a copyrighted tune!)

Sounds to me like they are fishing. You boss not being available sounds to them like you are stalling, so they are dropping the price.

With nothing to lose, make an official complaint about their shoddy practices if you can

Every small business? Why not. They don't have the manpower to go to every business in a few weeks, but they'll have lists of regular offenders and cold call the rest over the years.

I still fail to see how they can justify getting paid twice for people listening to the radio. They have been paid by the broadcasters and also want paid by anywhere outside of houses that people can hear the radio.

Because the radio station is paying on the basis of one listener per tuned in radio (or family unit).

In the workplace, you have more people listening together, which aren't a family unit...

Why do companies pay more for software than private individuals? Because they have to buy copies for everybody that will use it. It is the same principle.