8/11/2009 - AVLA Licensing Spreading the Word     [back]

AVLA has been spending the past few months implementing an educational program regarding DJ licensing. Discussions with our licensed DJs and DJ associations showed us that there is a need to inform the public about who AVLA is, what we do, and the importance of ensuring that legitimate sources of sound recordings are used for performance to the public. As a result of the feedback we have received we have created three new brochures to educate and inform the public: • DJ Marketing Information • Venue Marketing Information • Bride & Groom Marketing Information To Come: • Exhibition / Video Marketing Information DJ MARKETING INFORMATION This brochure outlines the licensing requirements for DJ’s. A DJ does not require licensing if he/she is playing LP’s/CD’s/cassettes that were purchased in a record store. A DJ requires a license if they are making reproductions of sound recordings (on a cassette, mini-disc, CD-R or computer hard drive). When a DJ reproduces sound recordings onto any type of medium without AVLA licensing it is an infringement of copyright laws. The private copying exemption does not apply to commercial use such as performance to the public, regardless of whether or not compensation is involved. AVLA offers DJs two types of licenses: 1. Standard DJ Licence • Permits a DJ to reproduce sound recordings on up to 100 physical carriers; cassettes, mini-discs, CD-Rs, for $148.40 (includes G.S.T) per calendar year ($159.60 if you live in a province that requires the payment of H.S.T). This allows you to reproduce sound recordings for just under $3.00 a week – a very reasonable cost of doing business. 1 • If you require more than 100 physical carriers, you’ll require an additional license for each 100 compilations you wish to make. 2. Computer Hard Drive DJ Licence • Permits a DJ to compress sound recordings into an MP3 format and store them on one computer hard drive for $331.25 (includes G.S.T) per calendar year ($356.25 if you live in a province that requires the payment of H.S.T). You may reproduce as many sound recordings as you can fit on your hard drive – no limit. • Storing sound recordings on more than one computer hard drive or making a backup of your hard drive requires an additional licence for each hard drive. In addition to these two licences provided by AVLA, a DJ also has the option of licensing through an AVLA licensed DJ Association: • Canadian Disc Jockey Association (CDJA) www.cdja.org • Canadian Online Disc Jockey Association (CODJA) www.codja.com • Alberta Association of Mobile Entertainers (AAME) www.aame.ab.ca Music Supply Services A DJ can obtain their sound recordings through an AVLA licensed Music Supply Service (MSS). MSS use their programming expertise to provide DJ’s and commercial users with compilations of popular sound recordings at industry standard quality. The MSS have AVLA agreements that permit them to reproduce sound recordings on compilation cassettes, CD’s or CD-R’s. If you use ONLY leased music from an AVLA licensed MSS, you don’t require any additional licensing from AVLA. Important information about AVLA licensed Music Supply Service products: • Any product that is produced by an AVLA licensed music supply service will indicate on the cassette/CD/CD-R that the sound recordings are licensed by the AVLA. • You may not copy this product for any purpose whatsoever. Prohibition against copying Music Supply Service product is clearly visible on the face of the product and is also stated in the lease agreement. • It is clearly stated in t