APRA Distributes One Hundred Million Dollars

Music copyright society, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) has, for the first time, distributed more than $NZ100 million to members and affiliated societies over the past year.

APRA's just-released Annual Report shows that music royalties collected from broadcasters and live performance of music rose around 6% in the past year and includes around $16 million flowing in from international societies. A non-profit association of music writers and publishers, APRA has reciprocal arrangements with fellow copyright bodies around the world, collecting royalties in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific for their members.

This result mirrors solid profits for media groups Canwest, TRN and TVNZ ­ major clients of the copyright body in New Zealand. Other substantial earnings come from cinemas, telcos (for ringtones and hold music) and increasingly from legal music downloads from the net. AMCOS, the reproduction rights licensing business managed by APRA, has also seen solid earnings.

APRA Director of NZ Operations, Anthony Healey says the results are pleasing because, unlike many other income streams in the music industry, the money goes directly to the creators.

"For many songwriters, their APRA cheques are what keep them going and today when NZ broadcasters and even major corporates recognise the value and importance of NZ music to their business, NZ composers reap the reward," says Healey.

APRA New Zealand writer-director Arthur Baysting says the expense to revenue ratio ­ its level of running costs ­ is around 13%, up with world's best practice for copyright societies. He's  particularly happy with the growth in royalties going to New Zealand composers and songwriters.

"Another healthy sign is the renewed interest being shown by music publishers in New Zealand repertoire," says Baysting.

www.apra.com.au

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