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ARIA Sells a Licence for DJs to Format Shift Music
lucas writes "The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has set up a new licence to let DJs format shift their music to use at gigs.
DJs will need to pay a licence fee to copy music they already own legally from one format to another for ease of use, and as a back-up in case originals get lost or stolen.
Criminal penalties for DJs involved in "music piracy" are up to sixty thousand dollars and 5 years imprisonment. There are also on-the-spot fines of over one thousand dollars."
Copyright.. copy right.
The owner has the exclusive right to make copies and sells "licenses" which permit you to make copies for specific purposes.
Why is this surprising?
How we know is more important than what we know.
Ignoring for a moment that you're trying to use common sense to figure out copyright law and that is always a big fat waste of time, you're probably not away that only last year did it become legal to tape something off TV in Australia.
For almost every case, Copyright in Australia is worse for the consumer than it is in the US. Almost.
How we know is more important than what we know.
From TFA:
From the FAQ on the ARIA website:
And regarding fair use, it does exist for private persons:
I'm sorry if I haven't offended anyone
In 2006, the government passed a law making format shift legal. In particular, it would be legal to copy from a CD to an iPod.
It turns out this is only for "private, domestic use", which wouldn't apply to DJs on commercial premises.
Format shifting fact sheet
Performance fees for dance music in Australian nightclubs are changing from $0.07/patron to $1.05/patron, a 1500% increase!
"A week in the lab saves an hour in the library"
Or something similar, at least:
http://www.djlicence.org.uk/faq.html
"I only use original CDs in my performance, do I need these licences?
No, these licences are for copying or dubbing music tracks to pc or mp3 player.
These licences also DO NOT allow you to copy from CD to CD-R.
To understand more about which licences apply where download the NADJ Licensing Grid."
They're closing down the Nauru and Manus Island detention centers. Although all I can find of actual action are a few articles saying it will close in about a month. All about a month apart, and it hasn't happened yet, so who knows how long it will take.
These days you have to be prepared in case you show up and the venue has either vinyl turntables, or a digital setup. They could say that they have turntables, and they turn out to not have needles or better yet - they haven't been used in years and end up not working. Of course, with this you would have to buy your music twice, and 12" electronica vinyl records have 1-3 songs for $12-25 EACH. How much can one pay for one song they will actually play?!
I know a guy named Sig.
As it currently stands in Australia, DJ's don't ever have to pay any royalty/licensing issues...
Its all managed by the Club/Event Production Managemnent. (ala the Companies responsible for running said event).
ARIA is simply trying to "Double Dip", as they already receive a 'licensing payment' based on the number of people who could potentially hear the music.
ref: http://www.aria.com.au/pages/licensing-faq.htm
As what music they cover ~ well they claim to represent "all music", regardless of the genre/nationality/copyright... and the Australian Government supports this view.
From personal experience, i was invloved with touring a Swedish Electronic Music Group thru Australia ~ where the group were signed to their own label, which they OWNED.
ARIA still claimed we owed them licensing payments for any music heard from the Swedish Group... WHICH WAS THEIR OWN MUSIC!!
Try being an unsigned garage band in Australia who write their own music, who decides to put on a "free concert" to promote themselves.... better watch out, ARIA will come calling, and they will find you.