PPL has announced a record international collection of £49.6million for 2017.
As revealed in the latest issue of Music Week, the collection society reported its largest ever international royalties total. The figure was 3% up on the 2016 total of £48.3 million, which had been a 32% growth on 2015.
It follows long-term growth for PPL’s neighbouring rights business, which has gone from £6 million in 2006 to £49.6 million in 2017. During this period, PPL collected over £355 million internationally for performers and record companies.
The money is collected based on the playing or broadcast of recorded music on TV, radio, some online streaming services and in public, as well as from countries with a levy for private copying.
With 87 international collection agreements now in place in 41 countries across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America, PPL receives over a third of all performer neighbouring rights payments moving between collective management organisations (CMOs) globally.
New international collection agreements include Slovgram in Slovakia, SAMPRA in South Africa and AGATA in Lithuania.
PPL received notable payments in 2017 from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the US, while there was significant growth in payments from Poland and South Korea. Collections in Korea (from FKMP) are relatively new and have benefited from improved data quality management, while increased royalties received from ZPAV in Poland reflects PPL’s improving database of sound recording copyright ownership on a territorial basis.
Overall growth has been attributed to collaborative working with international CMOs, sustained investment in technology and PPL’s data capabilities, which help improve efficiency and data exchange with other organisations. Meanwhile, the level of collections enables PPL to operate efficient currency management processes.
Peter Leathem, chief executive, PPL said: “I am delighted and very proud to announce that PPL has once again delivered a year of growth in 2017 with this record annual collection. International growth continues to be a key focus of the business as we continue to evolve our operations and drive forward our global engagement. The fact that our annual international collections have increased by over £43 million in just over a decade since 2006 shows the ability, drive and commitment PPL has to maximising revenues for our performer and record company members.”
Laurence Oxenbury, director of international, PPL said: “We would not be able to grow our international collections without the UK music industry’s current creative output being in so much demand all over the world, so our achievements in 2017 help to highlight the strength of the UK music industry. I would also particularly like to thank all of the CMOs with which we have agreements for their collaborative work with us, allowing us to deliver growth in 2017. Our focus on improving rights management processes and raising global standards for data quality with our international CMO partners has already supported our increased collections and will continue to do so in the years ahead.”
Amanda Carmichael, head of international, PPL said: “Without the highly-skilled teams of people at PPL with a wealth of expertise and tenacity, these continued record collections would not be possible. Their understanding of neighbouring rights is truly impressive, as is their passion to give back to the creators of and investors in music. We have hit the ground running again in 2018 with a continued focus on delivering the best possible service and outcomes to our members whilst striving to maintain strong relationships with our CMO partners around the world.”
Subscribers can read the exclusive interview with Peter Leathem here.
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