The Hindu : Front Page : Hotels, pubs may ‘face the music’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007
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Hotels, pubs may ‘face the music’

HYDERABAD: Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), the licensing arm of Indian Music Industry (IMI), has served notices to well-known hotels and pubs in twin cities for not paying music licence fee to play music at year-end parties.

The legal notices could have their impact, as many places in Hyderabad may not be allowed to play music at the parties. Legal notices were served to Rang Bar, Club 8, Heavinly Bar and Restaurant, Bar 1, Often and Leo-Meridian, the release said on Monday. Non-payment of fee could lead to up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 2 lakh. Under section 35 of the Copyright Act, playing commercial music without paying licence fee is an offence liable to contempt of court, the PPL release added.

“Musical nights and customised year-end packages are prolific means of revenue for pubs and hotels. A New Year bash cannot be imagined without music. Yet, when it comes to paying for the commercial use of music, the profitmakers choose to evade the licence fee,” said National Sales Manager (Events) of PPL Sowmya Choudhary.

Even the disk jockeys would not be spared if found guilty. Each year, hotels and bars make a lot of money through year-end parties. However, they refuse to pay a nominal tariff of Rs. 40,000 to PPL, thus eating into the royalties of the performers, the release said.

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