PPL alone in charging broadcasters for DAB small-scale tests

By James Cridland for media.info
Posted 21 July 2015, 12.01pm edt

PPL, the body that collects music royalty payments on behalf of record companies, has re-affirmed that it plans to charge existing stations an additional fee to simulcast on a nine-month technical trial of small-scale DAB.

Ofcom is currently testing small-scale DAB multiplexes in a variety of places in the UK, designed to discover whether the technology is suitable for community radio broadcasters. It has waived any licence fee for the tests, which are planned to take nine months. The tests are technical pilots for small local services that may become permanent in future.

PRS, who collect on behalf of songwriters and performers, has asked for no extra payment for the tests, though increases in Net Broadcasting Revenue may change the total fee paid. In an email seen by media.info, they state that they will cover the additional platform with a side letter.

However, PPL has sent out letters in the past week highlighting that it will charge an additional £500+VAT for stations involved in the pilot, irrespective of whether they have an existing paid-for PPL licence. A PPL spokesperson confirmed that this additional fee applies for all radio stations taking part in the pilot.

Radio broadcasters affected by these charges point out that many of these tests cover a simulcast of an existing FM station over a similar transmission area, and they argue that the broadcasts don't represent additional exploitation.

Community radio operators, for whom the small-scale DAB trial represents a potential way to get onto digital radio, also point out that the £500 fee charged by PPL is more than they pay for their existing, permanent, community radio FM licences, on a monthly basis. One affected operator expressed difficulty understanding how PPL justified the fee.

Speaking to media.info, a PPL spokesperson said that the DAB service was an additional platform which represented additional use of their members' repertoire. They highlighted that DAB is already charged separately for community, hospital and student stations.

PPL highlighted that this fee will be reviewed at the end of the trial period, and that PPL currently does not offer a different rate for DAB based on a station's Ofcom licence type.

The ten small-scale DAB multiplexes are all due on-air before October 11th.