|
GEMA (Germany copyrights nazis) to tax DJs who use laptops
|
View this Thread in Original format
| GGM |
| That's pretty messed up. I don't get how they can possibly enforce this and work out accurately how much is owed each set. Or how they plan to redistribute the funds to the actual producing artists. Sounds like one of those things that will cost so much to implement that they'll be lucky to break even at the end of the day but oh well. |
|
|
| acronym |
| quote: | Originally posted by GGM
That's pretty messed up. I don't get how they can possibly enforce this and work out accurately how much is owed each set. Or how they plan to redistribute the funds to the actual producing artists. Sounds like one of those things that will cost so much to implement that they'll be lucky to break even at the end of the day but oh well. |
The system is already in place. Most countries (afaik) have some kind of system for collecting money from music establishments and distributing it to the artists. Canada definitely does.
GEMA is currently pushing for things that would increase how much money they collect, it doesn't change their structure or distribution. |
|
|
| The Rattler |
Protection from what?
Ze Germans |
|
|
| GGM |
| quote: | Originally posted by acronym
The system is already in place. Most countries (afaik) have some kind of system for collecting money from music establishments and distributing it to the artists. Canada definitely does.
GEMA is currently pushing for things that would increase how much money they collect, it doesn't change their structure or distribution. |
I'm more so referring to this specific scenario in Germany though, not the idea of collecting/distributing royalties which I know has been done for ages.
| quote: | | So far this has only – to our knowledge – been reported on German language websites, but at the heart of these newly proposed set of changes is a tax (or “laptop surcharge”) on DJs playing music from laptops, to the tune of 30% for every music file under five minutes with an increase of 20% for each additional minute. |
So Berghain has a 48 hour jam, all DJs in all rooms will be taxed at this rate? How do you even begin to ensure all the DJs are paying and doing so accurately according to their schedule? Who's calculating song length? What if it's an 8 minute song and only 4 minutes are used? What if it's someone just layering different samples to create music on the fly? How and where do you draw the line between a live performance and a DJ set? What if that song was indeed released as a free to use for whatever track? What if it's the DJ's own track are they still charged for using it? Just seems to me they made their collection criteria so specific that if they actually want to get serious it's going to cost them a lot of money just trying to enforce it. |
|
|
| Forever Forward |
This is absurd. Very few German musicians are part of GEMA. So, essentially, GEMA is stealing money from artists and clubs and redistributing that money to other artists undeserving of the money--assuming GEMA redistributes the funds at all.
Taxation: the best way to stifle business since . . . ever. |
|
|
| StereoPrincess |
| quote: | Originally posted by GGM
I'm more so referring to this specific scenario in Germany though, not the idea of collecting/distributing royalties which I know has been done for ages.
So Berghain has a 48 hour jam, all DJs in all rooms will be taxed at this rate? How do you even begin to ensure all the DJs are paying and doing so accurately according to their schedule? Who's calculating song length? What if it's an 8 minute song and only 4 minutes are used? What if it's someone just layering different samples to create music on the fly? How and where do you draw the line between a live performance and a DJ set? What if that song was indeed released as a free to use for whatever track? What if it's the DJ's own track are they still charged for using it? Just seems to me they made their collection criteria so specific that if they actually want to get serious it's going to cost them a lot of money just trying to enforce it. |
but 30% of what tho? the costs of those files? |
|
|
| The Highroller |
| quote: | Originally posted by Forever Forward
This is absurd. Very few German musicians are part of GEMA. So, essentially, GEMA is stealing money from artists and clubs and redistributing that money to other artists undeserving of the money--assuming GEMA redistributes the funds at all.
Taxation: the best way to stifle business since . . . ever. |
Exactly. GEMA (and other schemes like it) are just vampiric, self-serving bureaucracies that have nothing to do with their supposed mandate (i.e. helping artists). |
|
|
| loopdokter |
| quote: | Originally posted by The Highroller
Exactly. GEMA (and other schemes like it) are just vampiric, self-serving bureaucracies that have nothing to do with their supposed mandate (i.e. helping artists). |
I disagree. I'm a member of SOCAN and *DO* see royalties from them when my music is played. They were awesome for me when I collected a rather unexpected royalty from the Swiss performing rights society when a DJ over there took to playing one of my tunes on his/her radio show.
While the system is flawed in the way SOCAN polls radio, they do work for their artists. SOCAN has chased down Much Music for the same track of mine that I played on Electric Circus after they refused to pay up. The flaws are down to the fact that if you get Sarah McLachlan playing 10 times per day, and Broken Social Scene plays once on the same station, it's more likely that when SOCAN is polling the station during 'x' period that Sarah is more likely to get the money owed. Regardless, ALL CBC airplays get paid out to the artists. So yeah.
While it is true that it's flawed and top heavy, performing rights societies do have a place in the artist's life. Any electronic music producer or original music-maker who isn't a part of their country's performing rights society is missing out on 'free' cash. What needs work is how the distribution system operates. GEMA is trying to charge more when they need to figure out a better way to get their artists the cash. |
|
|
|
|
