Canadian music creators demand fairness for industry in 2024 budget
Re:Sound launches online writing campaign to call on officials at resoundacts.ca
TORONTO, Feb. 13, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadian music creators and industry members are asking for fairness for music creators through an online letter writing campaign ahead of the 2024 federal budget.
To help level the playing field for music creators, Re:Sound, its members and Canadian music creators are pressing the government to make the following changes to the Copyright Act:
- Amend the definition of "sound recording" in the Copyright Act to address its unfair exclusion of performers and record labels/makers from performance royalties from television, film, video streaming platforms and other audio-visual content.
- Eliminate the "temporary" $1.25 Million exemption for commercial radio stations instituted in 1997 ? a subsidy for commercial radio at the direct expense of music rights holders.
- Update the private copying regime to make it technologically neutral.
"As a canadian music creator, I see what it's like for my peer artists who are struggling during these hard economic times," says Florence K, multi-lingual Canadian Recording Artist and Re:Sound Board member. "The changes we are calling for in the Copyright Act will help Canadian music creators survive and thrive in today's economy and to ensure that creators can make a living in the Canadian music industry."
It is urgent that these changes be made now to allow for the implementation of any resulting tariffs to unfold and provide for an equal and level playing field for all creators in Canada.
"The solutions we are proposing are market-based and will greatly assist music creators, including tens of thousands of Canadian performing artists, background musicians and record labels, both large and small independent labels, who depend on these royalties to help them earn a living wage and continue to create music, fostering Canadian culture," says Lou Ragagnin, President & CEO of Re:Sound. "Our solutions also require no additional funding from the federal government."
To support the Canadian music industry, ask the Minister of Finance to include Re:Sound's Fairness For Music Creators proposals in the 2024 federal budget. Act now at resoundacts.ca.
Re:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for Performers and Record Labels for their performance rights. We advocate for music creators, educate music users, license businesses, and distribute royalties to creators ? all to help build a thriving and sustainable music industry in Canada. We do this in collaboration with our member organizations: ACTRA RACS, Artisti, MROC, Connect, SOPROQ, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada.
SOURCE Re:Sound
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