Performing Rights Orgs

 

A performing rights organization’s (PRO) function is collecting performing rights royalties on behalf of its members, composers and music publishers. The PRO then distributes these royalties to its members, minus the PRO’s administration costs.

PROs license public performances of their members’ music which includes network television, cable TV, cable movie channels, use in nightclubs, stores, restaurants and other public performances. PROs only license performing rights, and only non-dramatic performing rights.

Performing rights organizations monitor their members’ music when it is performed on the radio. In Television and Film performances, PROs use what is known as a Cue Sheet to keep track of whose music is used in which broadcast or film. Cue Sheets are filled out by the producer and submitted to each PRO who has a member represented on the Cue Sheet. The fees paid to the performing rights organizations are typically paid by the broadcaster and are not the responsibility of the producer.

Dramatic Rights (which are not licensed by the PROs) include performances you would see on Broadway or other theater type of performance. These rights are negotiated directly with either the composer, the publisher or their representative. Performance royalties are collected for movie theater performances in almost every country except the United States of America.

Rights such as mechanical rights, grand rights, master rights or synchronization rights are NOT licensed by PROs. PROs license performing rights only.

This is just a brief introduction to performing rights organizations. For further information, please contact the PRO directly.

 

United States of America

• The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
  www.ascap.com
•  Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)
  www.bmi.com
•  SESAC
  www.sesac.com

 

United Kingdom

• PRS for Music
  www.prsformusic.com

 

Argentina

• Sociedad Argentina de Autores y Compositores
  www.sadaic.org.ar

 

Australia

• The Australasian Performing Right Association
  www.apra-amcos.com.au

 

Austria

• Autoren Komponisten Musikverleger
  www.akm.at

 

Belgium

• Société Belge des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs
  www.sabam.be

 

Brazil

• União Brasileira de Compositores
  www.ubc.org.br
• Escritório Central de Arrecadação e Distribuição
  www.ecad.org.br

 

Bulgaria

• МУЗИКАУТОР (Musicautor)
  www.musicautor.org

 

Canada

• SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada)
  www.socan.ca

 

Chile

• Sociedad Chilena del Derecho de Autor
  www.sdl.cl

 

Colombia

• Sociedad de Autores y compositores de Colombia
  www.sayco.org

 

Croatia

• Hrvatsko Društvo Skladatelja
  www.hds.hr

 

Czech Republic

• Ochranný Svaz Autorský
  www.osa.cz

 

Denmark

• KODA
  www.koda.dk

 

Finland

• TEOSTO
  www.teosto.fi

 

France

• La Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SACEM)
  www.sacem.fr

 

Germany

• Die Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs (GEMA)
  www.gema.de

 

Greece

• AEPI – ΑΡΧΙΚΗ
  www.aepi.gr

 

Hong Kong

• 香港作曲家及作詞家協會 (CASH)
  www.cash.org.hk

 

Hungary

• Artisjus
  www.artisjus.hu

 

Iceland

• Society of Icelandic Composers
  www.listir.is

 

India

• Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS)
  www.indiavibes.com/iprs

 

Ireland

• Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)
  www.imro.ie

 

Israel

• אקו”ם – ACUM
  www.acum.org.il

 

Japan

• Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC)
  www.jasrac.or.jp

 

Lithuania

• Lietuvos Autorių Teisių Gynimo Asociacijos Agentūra (LATGA-A)
  www.latga.lt

 

Malaysia

• Music Authors Copyright Protection (MACP)
  www.macp.com.my

 

Mexico

• Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de Mexico (SACM)
  www.sacm.org.mx

 

Netherlands

• Buma NL
  www.bumanlmuziekfestival.nl

 

New Zealand

• APRA|AMCOS
  www.apra.com.au

 

Norway

• TONO
  www.tono.no

 

Poland

• ZAiKS
  www.zaiks.org.pl

 

Portugal

• Sociedad Portuguesa de Autores
  www.spautores.pt

 

Russia

• Российское Авторское Общество
  www.rao.ru

 

Singapore

• COMPASS
  www.compass.org.sg

 

South Africa

• Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO)
  www.samro.org.za

 

Spain

• Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE)
  www.sgae.es

 

Sweden

• Svenska Tonsättares Internationella Musikbyrå (STIM)
  www.stim.se

 

Switzerland

• SUISA
  www.suisa.ch

 

Turkey

• MESAM
  www.mesam.org.tr

 

Uruguay

• Asociación General de Autores del Uruguay
  www.agadu.com

 

If you find a broken link or would like to add a PRO to this resource list, please submit it here.