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Eos loses £1.5m BBC royalty battle and get £100,000 | Eos loses £1.5m BBC royalty battle and get £100,000 |
(35 minutes later) | |
The BBC must pay £100,000 a year to Welsh language composers and publishers in royalties - a fraction of the £1.5m they had wanted. | The BBC must pay £100,000 a year to Welsh language composers and publishers in royalties - a fraction of the £1.5m they had wanted. |
Eos, a collection society that controls the broadcast rights for some Welsh language music, had rejected an offer by the BBC of £120,000 and argued their case at a tribunal. | |
The tribunal spent a week hearing evidence from both sides in September. | The tribunal spent a week hearing evidence from both sides in September. |
It issued its judgement in the case on Monday. | It issued its judgement in the case on Monday. |
The BBC says it will now seek to resume discussions with Eos which says it is disappointed with the ruling. | |
The dispute between the BBC and Eos arose from a change by the Performing Right Society (PRS) in 2007 which many Welsh language artists claimed cut their royalty payments by as much as 85%. | |
Around 300 musicians who broke away from PRS after claiming Welsh language musicians were being paid substantially less than their English language counterparts were represented by Eos. | |
Eos wanted the BBC to pay more in royalty fees. | |
But the BBC said a substantial offer it made just before Christmas last year to Eos to resolve the dispute had been rejected. | |
On New Year's day, Eos withdrew permission for the BBC to play their music. | |
Six weeks later, it made an interim agreement allowing BBC Radio Cymru to resume its normal schedule. | |
A tribunal into the matter was held in Caernarfon in September during which the BBC said it was only prepared to pay £100,000. | |
But in reaching an interim agreement earlier this year, it has been paying Eos a £120,000 annual licence to broadcast its members' music. | But in reaching an interim agreement earlier this year, it has been paying Eos a £120,000 annual licence to broadcast its members' music. |
Legal costs | Legal costs |
The final ruling says the BBC must pay £100,000 per annum, excluding VAT. | |
The term of the licence will run from 1 February 2013 to remain in force until expiry on 31 December 2015. | The term of the licence will run from 1 February 2013 to remain in force until expiry on 31 December 2015. |
Sian Gwynedd, BBC Cymru Wales' head of Welsh language programmes and services, said: "We will obviously comply with the copyright tribunal's ruling - a decision they reached after hearing the arguments of both parties in this dispute. | Sian Gwynedd, BBC Cymru Wales' head of Welsh language programmes and services, said: "We will obviously comply with the copyright tribunal's ruling - a decision they reached after hearing the arguments of both parties in this dispute. |
"Throughout this dispute, we have sought an outcome that is fair to both Welsh language musicians and licence fee payers." | "Throughout this dispute, we have sought an outcome that is fair to both Welsh language musicians and licence fee payers." |
A statement from Eos said: "It's very sad that the tribunal has failed to recognise the value of these rights to the Welsh music industry. | |
"It's clear that the tribunal has tried to keep the status quo as much as possible, rather than respecting the wishes of the Welsh composers and publishers for a fair rate." | |
The BBC spent more than £360,000 taking the issue to the tribunal, contributing £63,000 towards Eos's legal costs, as well as £15,000 towards the cost of Eos's expert witness. | The BBC spent more than £360,000 taking the issue to the tribunal, contributing £63,000 towards Eos's legal costs, as well as £15,000 towards the cost of Eos's expert witness. |
Among the BBC's costs was a bill for £27,720 for an expert witness. | Among the BBC's costs was a bill for £27,720 for an expert witness. |
More than £4,000 was spent on travel, accommodation and meals for those who attended the hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court. | More than £4,000 was spent on travel, accommodation and meals for those who attended the hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court. |