BROADCASTERS V COMPOSERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19314, 15 October 1932, Page 17

BROADCASTERS V COMPOSERS

IMPORTANT INQUIRY IN SYDNEY

DEMAND FOR COPYRIGHT PAYMENT United Press Association —Bv Electrlo Telegraph—Copyright (Received October 14, 9.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 14. The inquiry into the question of the demands on radio stations made by the Performing Rights Association was continued to-day. A suggestion that the copyright charges should vary according to the merit of the composition, was made by H. P. Williams, manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission. He pointed out that in England the points system operated. Questioned about the relative functions' merits of “A” and “B" class stations, Mr Williams said the “A” stations would be unable to provide sufficient service without the “B” stations, but if “A" stations were given additional wave lengths in every capital city, an adequate service could be provided without resort to advertising, as the "B” stations did. owing to not receiving any portion of the listeners’ fees.

Mr Williams said there was a serious objection to the heavy unit charge of 2/41 demanded by the Australian Performing Rights’ Association. This charge would become 9 6 an item if relayed from the main station. It was also proposed to increase the present charges in the event of additional listeners taking up radio, so that when the number of licensed listeners reached, say, 700,000, the unit charge would become 4/63, aggregating £56,000 a year, which was preposterous. He emphasised that there was a serious doubt respecting the large quantity of music now regarded as copyright as to whether the original authors and composers had not long since ceased to receive any share of the fees. There was also grave doubt as to whether a considerable amount of music which should pass into the possession of the community was not being exploited for copyright fees. George Childers, giving evidence for the "B” stations, considered the copyright fees should be a charge against the license fees. “B” stations did not dispute the claims of the Performing Rights’ Association to fair payment for copyright, but some method should be devised for checking them, especially as 85 per cent, of the music performed by “B” stations was gramophone records for which copyright was claimed. The hearing was adjourned.