Broadcast Licensing

What is a Broadcast Licence?

Getting a licence to broadcast recorded music or music videos is simple. We make it easy with a range of options that cover you for most recordings (and music videos) commercially released in Australia.

Broadcasters who we can license include:

1. radio broadcasters (commercial, ABC, SBS, community, narrowcasters, subscription radio and others providing radio services to the public);
2. free-to-air television broadcasters (including commercial television stations, ABC, SBS and community stations);
3. subscription television broadcasters (pay TV, IPTV); and
4. all other holders of class licences under the Broadcasting Services Act.

Industry Agreements

To make things easier, we have negotiated industry agreements for certain broadcast sectors. If you’re a member of an industry association with an industry deal, you can make use of the industry-based agreement.

Examples of such industry associations are:

1. Free TV Australia, formerly Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations (FACTS) – for commercial free-to-air television broadcasters;
2. Commercial Radio, formerly Federation of Australian Radio Broadcasters  (Commercial Radio) – for free-to-air radio broadcasters; and
3. Community Broadcasting Association of Australia(CBAA) – for community radio broadcasters.

You’re not obliged to use an industry-based agreement. You can negotiate a separate licence directly with either PPCA or the relevant copyright holders. You should contact your relevant industry association for information on the terms and conditions of the industry schemes.

How Do I Apply for a Broadcast Licence?

To apply for a broadcast licence, or to change any of your licence details, please email business.affairs@ppca.com.au. 

Music Video Broadcast Licences

PPCA offers two flexible licences for music video broadcasting by either free to air TV or music video channels on subscription TV.

PPCA understands that television broadcasters may already have direct licensing agreements with many major record labels and some notable independent labels to broadcast music videos on their television channels. 

To simplify the process of approaching each copyright owner and to provide television broadcasters with a broader scope of available music videos, PPCA offers blanket licences to cover a wide range of copyright protected music videos.  The licence allows television broadcasters to broadcast all music videos owned or controlled in Australia by the 2,500+ record labels (majors and independents) that PPCA counts among its licensors. Under the licence, television broadcasters will pay PPCA a single quarterly licence fee payment which is adjustable to take into account the television broadcasters’ existing agreements with labels and other copyright owners.

Television broadcasters will only pay for those videos within the PPCA repertoire that are not covered by their direct licensing arrangements. For example if 70% of the music videos played on air are covered under direct licensing agreements with record labels, the PPCA fee will represent the remaining 30%.

Under the flexible licensing scheme, PPCA can now connect television broadcasters to more independent artists and a larger repertoire of music videos.

Need more information about the music video broadcast licence?

Free to Air Broadcasting Licence for Music Video Programs-- Summary of key terms  

Pay TV Broadcasting Licence for Music Video Channels– Summary of key terms  

How Do I Apply for a Music Video Broadcast Licence?

To apply for a music video broadcast licence, or to change any of your music video broadcast licence details, please email business.affairs@ppca.com.au.

Digital Licences for Broadcasters

If you are a television or radio broadcaster, PPCA has a range of digital licences for your online activities.  See Online and Digital Licensing for more information.