There are a number of points to clarify in your articles ‘Are Maltese artists being royally shafted?’ (12 April) and ‘No accounts to show for an estimated €500,000 a year’ (19 April).
PRS for Music is proud to represent its songwriter, composer and music publisher members in Malta, as it is proud to represent all of our 60,000 members in the UK and other countries. We also value our Maltese customers who take licences with us in order to use and enjoy music in their business.
PRS for Music is a non-profit membership society which collects and distributes royalties for the use of its members music be that live performance, TV and radio, CDs, DVDs, downloads, streams and everything in between. PRS for Music distributes to its members all of the money it collects with just an administration charge taken to cover the costs of processing. This charge is one of the lowest of any collecting Society in Europe and indeed the world. We have built a strong reputation over the years for efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy and transparency.
The way we collect and subsequently pay royalties in Malta is exactly the same as in any other territory in which we operate. Until 2007, however, Maltese law did not provide us with the full and comprehensive cover that we operate under in the UK and that our members would expect. We have worked hard to rectify that and now have the full backing of the Maltese authorities.
This of course has had an impact on the amount of money we have been able to collect and despite our best efforts there are still some music users on the island to be licensed. Indeed some of those that took out a licence, including at least one high profile radio station have, as yet, refused to pay what is owed. Despite this, we have still been collecting and distributing royalties. Of the total collection for 2007, over half (52% - greater than that reported in your articles) was paid to Maltese songwriters and composers for the use of their music on Malta. This is in line with local music usage as determined by recent market research. The rest was due to other songwriters and composers around the world whose works have been played in Malta.
Of the money distributed to members in Malta, 48% was paid to 59 members (a quarter of our Maltese membership base) utilising information of the actual performances taking place. In the absence of reliable data from every licensee against which to distribute all the monies collected, we have also allocated every Maltese member approximately £100 a year. PRS for Music is constantly improving its distribution methods and has been actively increasing the accuracy of distributions for broadcasts and public performances in Malta which will result in even fairer distributions of royalties to all members.
We distribute royalties to Maltese members annually (every July) and we are currently analysing the 2008 figures – any assessment of earnings from 2008 collections is therefore premature.
Our aim is to reach a stage of comprehensive music licensing on the island, and for full payment of those licences, so that all songwriters and composers on the island and internationally can properly benefit from the use of their music by businesses in Malta.
We always strive to improve our service and listen and address any concerns our members have. To that end, staff from PRS for Music in London regularly visit our members in Malta and will continue to do so.
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Search:
MALTATODAY
BUSINESSTODAY
Download MaltaToday Sunday issue front page in pdf file format
All the interviews from Reporter on MaltaToday's YouTube channel.
