PATNA:
Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), an apex licensing arm of the Indian
Music Industry (IMI), and Patna police have initiated a special drive to book
those who evade to pay license fee for playing copyrighted music. Notices has
been issued to chronic defaulters in Patna who have been playing such music
without paying requisite music license
fee.
According to a PPL
release, the list of defaulters also included few reputed hotels, restaurants
and retail stores of the town. Playing commercial music without paying a
copyright license fee is punishable under Section 35 of the Copyright Act, said
the release.
Musical night
packages are prolific means of revenue for pubs, restaurants, hotels and retail
stores, but these establishments often evade to pay the license
fee.
According to the release,
the PPL has an exclusive right to issue licenses to hotels/pubs etc. for playing
music during the events/parties on their premises and the tariff for the same
would be calculated on the basis of the number of hours the music is to be
played and the number of people expected to attend these functions.