Collecting societies

Collecting societies are representative bodies for copyright owners who may administer the statutory licence schemes under the Copyright Act 1968 and may also offer licences on behalf of their members. They generally manage the collection of monies from copyright users and the distribution and payment of those moneys to relevant copyright owners.

Collecting societies largely exist for reasons of efficiency. It is more efficient and cost effective to appoint a single society as the body responsible for collecting royalties for a large group of rights holders than to negotiate all permissions and royalties directly between individual rights holders and those who use their works.

The collecting societies currently operating in Australia include:

The Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners” Society (AMCOS), which administers the right to make a recording (a 'mechanical copy') of musical works on behalf of composers and music publishers.

The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) ), which administers the rights to broadcast, transmit and perform in public on behalf of composers and music publishers.

Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) which administers the right to make copies of published literary and certain other works on behalf of authors and publishers.

Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) ) which administers the rights to broadcast, transmit and perform in public on behalf of record companies.

Screenrights (the Audio-Visual Copyright Society Ltd) which administers the right to record and make off-air copies of broadcasts on behalf of producers of films and television programs.

Viscopy, which administers the right to make copies on behalf of visual and graphic artists.

Collecting societies play an important role, not simply in their collective licensing activities, but also through the assistance they can provide to users who need to locate a particular rights holder.