PERFORMING RIGHTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 353, 14 October 1932, Page 5

PERFORMING RIGHTS

EXPLOITATION OF COPYRIGHT SUGGESTED BY WITNESS Sydiiey, October 13. At the Performing Rights inquiry, Mr. H. C. Williams, general manager of the Australian Broadeasting Commission, outlined the case for the broadeasting stations and the public. He said that there are serious objections to the heavy unit charge of 2/41 demanded by the Australian Performing Rights' Association. This charge would become 9/ 6 per item of the relay from a main statibri. It vras also proposed to increase the present charges in the e'vent of additional listeners taking up, radios, so that when the number of licensed listeners reaehed say 700,000, the unit charge would become 4/6|, aggregating £56,000 a year, which was preposterous. He emphasised that there was a serious doubt respecting' a large , quantity of music now regarded as copyright, as to whether the original authors or composers had not long sirice eeased to receive any share of the fee. There was also a -grave ■ doubt as to whetber a considerable amourit of' music whibh should pass iritb the possessiori of^the commuriity, was riot being exploited for copyright fees.