Comments on: PRSformusic Respond to Parliamentary Questions, PRS complaints, Keep Music Free

By: Mark Feltham

Mark Feltham — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:54:05 +0000

I part own a nightclub in The Midlands area and we had paid £4000 for the privilage of playing music in our venue. However that has now jumped to £11,000.00 after a person from PRS made an estimate on some of the night and came up with this outrareous secondary “tax”. They said we had 5 times the amount of people in the venue then we actully do! Absolute rubbish, i wish we did!

I deplore this outright extortision by this “ungoverned” body. They think money grows on trees and that clubs and pubs make load of money….

By: shelly

shelly — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:07:06 +0000

Just found this after searching the web for PRS – We stopped listening to the radio at work as we were quoted a massive price to listen to the radio in the workshop we were told if a customer walked through our workshop they were an audience and so therefore we would be broadcasting to them and our employees. Absolutely stupid they called & continued to write ever stronger letters until we wrote to them and explained why we were choosing to switch off our radio at work. In our letter we pointed out broadcasters already paid to put their artists music onto the radio for us to listen too and the possible consequences of drop in audiences and possible knock on affects to listening audience, record sales and advertising on stations. We asked for their response and nothing not a thing the calls and letters stopped. Since the radio was switched off I personally have not bought a new album I just don’t hear new artists or music as much as I did, I am sticking to the music I have / know rather than being introduced to new music via the radio which I heard at work.

By: Hal

Hal — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:37:56 +0000

Really sorry to hear this – but totally understandable. This whole debacle is getting out of hand. The music industry is in shreds and instead of dealing with the issues of file sharing and downloads, the target appears to be the people who would listen to and enjoy music legally. Only, listening with your friends and family appears to be less legal than it was when I last checked!

PRS are killing the industry by stifling the listeners. How obtuse can they get?

By: D Littleton

D Littleton — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:53:11 +0000

I read your comments with interest after searching for information on PRSformusic. My husband and I were contacted by telephone today and were told that we needed a licence to listen to the radio in our office. We have a retail shop but the office where the radio is is on the 3rd floor, only audible to myself and my husband – we do not employ anyone else. Apparently if my husband is listening the radio that is ok, but if I walk in, his wife, he is broadcasting to me and we require a licence. I can’t believe this – I told PRS that I will not pay fees so I will just turn the radio off. So there we are, another example of a declining radio audience.