Whenever music is performed in public, communicated or reproduced the songwriter may be entitled to a payment or royalty. This is because the New Zealand Copyright Act gives writers what are known as ‘economic rights’ which cover certain uses of their music. By licensing and allowing the public performance, communication or reproduction of their music, songwriters may generate income known as royalties.
Copyright is the means by which creators such as composers and songwriters make a living from their work. The law gives copyright owners a number of exclusive rights to control how and when their work is used, and to negotiate payment for this use.
Collecting societies such as APRA and AMCOS administer certain aspects of these rights on behalf of their members in circumstances where it is difficult or impossible to license the copyright on an individual basis. By acting as a link between the users and creators of copyright material, we provide a simple means of helping users comply with their copyright obligations and ensuring copyright owners are paid for the use of their work.
Music: a ‘user pays’ system
All businesses, organisations or individuals that choose to publicly perform, communicate, or reproduce copyright music need permission from the copyright owners. APRA simplifies the legal process for business proprietors who would otherwise need to obtain a licence from each copyright owner whose music they wish to play.