Point is mate, we've told them over many years we have TV's in the rooms and they've been content to sod off and try again the following year! These aren't for 'public' broadcast/use but for the private use of guests in the rooms. The PRS smell a fast buck.. no two ways about that Oh.. and yes, we have a hotel licence to incorporate the TV's
We need to get an "Occupy the Artists" group going to occupy all places where those "wealthiest 1%" of the world world - every music studio and film studio in the world and demand the multi-million dollar music and film stars pay us 99%'ers back for all the illegitimate money they've collected from us since they charge us to buy their music and works and the charge those whom we listen to and watch to show/play their works, in effect double billing us for everything.
Surely the artists are paid by the TVs and radio stations that broadcast them? Now they want to charge you to receive the information? That like getting one phone bill for calling and another phone bill for having picked up and listened. Hmm methinks with all the illegal downloading, they are looking for softer prey to make up the shortfall in their revenues. Gits.
As far as the blurb goes on the PRS site.. there is a minimum where they won't chase.. 3 TV's! I have 4 upstairs in our flat plus any number of PC's that can receive whatever type of media you throw at it. It really is a complete crock of shit as Mark said. The TV's in the flat fall into 'domestic' use and as such, do not come under the PRS legislation. As for the pictures/radio able to be received by the Freeview boxes, that isn't being re-broadcast either.. it's 'first instance' reception. The alarm clocks in our rooms are radio alarm clocks so I guess they'll be after us for those too given time
Garry Russell wrote:I think you'll find that only goes as far as sending it to Dave
Then it is being re broadcast
You are correct Garry. The TV and radio companies have to pay to broadcast the tunes but as Dave's TVs are in a commercial environment they consider that a 're-broadcast' to a paying public rather than simply listening at home.
Garry Russell wrote:You'd think they could make it a maximum number of units free before any charge was levied
You would think so but with all the revenues lost from pirated copies you can bet they are trying to close all the loopholes and re-coup whatever they can from whoever they can.
I suppose that Dave should be happy if it's just a 'blanket' licence they are looking at stinging him with. He'd have some major grounds for whining if he had to do what the radio stations have to do, i.e. keep an accurate log of what record (including artist and label) was played when and for how long!
Having spoken to SWMBO about this (and finding she's agreed to their terms after being bullied on the telephone).. it seems it isn't to do with Freeview offering radio channels.. it's the simple fact that copyright music is played on the TV, on Ad's e t c. We have to buy a Hotel Licence already for the privilige of having TV's in our guest rooms (the licence covers up to 15 sets) which one would and could argue covers what is being transmitted. One does not have to buy a Hotel TV licence if one has 15 TV sets in their home! The more I look for info on this, the more I find folk are enraged by the PRS and it's bullyboy tactics. I'll let you know how it all ends