SoundExchange inks royalty deal with NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Today, US non-profit performance rights organisation SoundExchange inked its second settlement agreement with a noncommercial webcaster in five months.

Its latest deal sees it sign royalty deals with National Public Radio (NPR) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in the US to provide artists and rights holders of the music used in the programming with fair compensation.

The settlement agreement for internet streaming by the public stations has been locked in for five years and if adopted by America’s Copyright Royalty Board, will be in effect from 2016.

Australian artists can benefit from the new deal; SoundExchange collects royalties for “non-interactive” streaming services in the US (eg. Pandora, Sirius XM) and counts the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) is an international partner.

The agreement follows SoundExchange’s deal with College Broadcasters Inc. last October, which saw the representative for college media outlets delegate a consistent royalty framework for music played by noncommercial webcasters at colleges and other educational institutions.

More than 27 million people listen to NPR programs each week via 800+ radio stations throughout the country.

Created by US Congress in 1967, CPR is the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It supports the operations of more than 1,400 US public television and radio stations.