SOCAN and the Licencing Fees for Music Played During Yoga Classes
Joanne Preece
Editor Canadian Yogi
SOCAN– the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada– is a not-for-profit, member-owned collective representing musical works of more than 100,000 Canadian composers, lyricists and songwriters. Under the Canadian Copyright Act, SOCAN is entitled to collect royalties for music played for fitness activities and dance instruction. Under Tariff 19, SOCAN issues licences to businesses or individuals to play any copyright protected music from Canada, or anywhere else in the world, during such classes.
Purchase of a CD or a legal download of music gives the purchaser the right to play the music in private but not in public. A SOCAN licence gives the purchaser “the freedom to play any music in a public setting legally, ethically and easily”. 86% of the fees collected are distributed to composers, authors and music publishers that are SOCAN members, or members of SOCAN’s affiliated international societies. The remainder of the fees covers SOCAN’s operating costs.
How fees are calculated and who pays them
The Tariff 19 licence for fitness activities, which includes yoga, is an annual licence with the fee based on the average weekly participants multiplied by $2.14 (with a minimum fee of $64.00) plus applicable tax. To calculate how much your licence would be visit www.socan.ca/calculator/19.
The licence fee is paid by the business/venue providing the classes. This means that, if you are hired to teach yoga by a studio or other business, or an organization such as a Municipal Parks and Recreation program, it is their responsibility to obtain a SOCAN licence. However, if you own a studio, or are renting a space and organizing your own classes, it is your responsibility to obtain the SOCAN licence.
For more information about SOCAN, their licences and answers to FAQs, please visit www.socan.ca.
What do you think?
In February, we invited our members to tell us what they thought about playing music in their yoga classes and, in particular, how SOCAN’s licencing fees affect the use of music in their classes. The question raises a lot of issues: ignorance of SOCAN and copyright law; the ethics of non-compliance and the precept of asteya– honesty, generosity and not taking what is not yours; and concerns about the cost of licences for small, marginally profitable studios, to name just a few.
Following are the responses we received from our members. We are providing a forum for these varying views, which are the views of the authors. They do not represent the position of the CYA but are intended to bring attention, thought and discussion to the issue.
Joanne Preece
Editor
Purchase of a CD or a legal download of music gives the purchaser the right to play the music in private but not in public. A SOCAN licence gives the purchaser “the freedom to play any music in a public setting legally, ethically and easily”. 86% of the fees collected are distributed to composers, authors and music publishers that are SOCAN members, or members of SOCAN’s affiliated international societies. The remainder of the fees covers SOCAN’s operating costs.
How fees are calculated and who pays them
The Tariff 19 licence for fitness activities, which includes yoga, is an annual licence with the fee based on the average weekly participants multiplied by $2.14 (with a minimum fee of $64.00) plus applicable tax. To calculate how much your licence would be visit www.socan.ca/calculator/19.
The licence fee is paid by the business/venue providing the classes. This means that, if you are hired to teach yoga by a studio or other business, or an organization such as a Municipal Parks and Recreation program, it is their responsibility to obtain a SOCAN licence. However, if you own a studio, or are renting a space and organizing your own classes, it is your responsibility to obtain the SOCAN licence.
For more information about SOCAN, their licences and answers to FAQs, please visit www.socan.ca.
What do you think?
In February, we invited our members to tell us what they thought about playing music in their yoga classes and, in particular, how SOCAN’s licencing fees affect the use of music in their classes. The question raises a lot of issues: ignorance of SOCAN and copyright law; the ethics of non-compliance and the precept of asteya– honesty, generosity and not taking what is not yours; and concerns about the cost of licences for small, marginally profitable studios, to name just a few.
Following are the responses we received from our members. We are providing a forum for these varying views, which are the views of the authors. They do not represent the position of the CYA but are intended to bring attention, thought and discussion to the issue.
Joanne Preece
Editor
