TORONTO – The next quarterly payment of royalties to SOCAN members this month will reach a record high of $75 million. The amount includes $47 million based on established tariffs, plus a special distribution of $28 million in arrears for radio performances between 2003 and 2010, reports Society of Music Authors, Composers, and Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).
The special distribution is due to additional revenues resulting from the resolution of litigation related to Tariff 1A (Commercial Radio). Approved by the Copyright Board of Canada, Tariff 1A requires broadcast music stations to pay a fee to SOCAN based on a percentage of its advertising revenues.
"The boost in royalties that SOCAN members will receive in August represents an increase to the income which Canadian music creators and publishers depend on to make a living," said Eric Baptiste, CEO of SOCAN in a statement.
The November 2011 royalty payment will include a special distribution of $24 million, as a result of the recent decision by the Copyright Board of Canada to allow payment of royalties based on revenues received by SOCAN under Tariff 25 (Satellite Radio).
Still to be decided are tariffs related to SOCAN’s Tariffs 22A-G which cover new media uses of music, such as online music stores, web radio and game sites. SOCAN says it will work towards distributing to members as soon as possible the monies collected under these tariffs to date.
