Pro Dub Licensed DJ

Very few people realise that many DJs may be operating in a way that they are in breach of the copyright laws.  There is a license in place that allows Disc Jockeys and other entertainers to legally transfer their music collection to another format.  There are also only a small number of DJs who are aware of this license and who have bought it to make sure that they operate legitimately.  This license is quite costly and you may find that some DJs are either ignorant of the issue or who do not believe in paying up to operate legitimately.

This license is called the Professional Dubbing License or Pro Dub License and it must be purchased by anyone who transfers copyrighted recordings from one format to another for professional or semi-professional use.  An example of this might be a legitimate digital music download that is transferred to CD.  The buyer of the song has permission to transfer it to CD for personal use, however, a DJ or other entertainer would be using this recording for commercial use and they must then be licensed.

Licensed

Bands, singers or other entertainers who use minidisk recordings must apply for a license based on the number of songs that they have transferred.  This is a major change in the entertainment industry and customers should be aware that venues have been asked to comply with the conditions of their entertainment license and that they must make checks on the performers working on their grounds.  The last thing a venue wants to do is lose the opportunity to hold events where music is played, that could quite easily result in the closure of the venue.

In order to legally perform at any venue, I am a licensed customer of the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society and Performing Rights Society (MCPS-PRS) alliance.  These agencies are in charge of collecting royalties for songwriters, composers and musicians.

The Pro Dub License is quite costly and it had been widely criticised by many DJs who think that it is unfair that they pay royalties when they buy a CD and then have to pay again to transfer it to another format.  While I do not personally agree with the license and the cost implications on my business, I have decided that as well as being insured and having my equipment tested for electrical safety, I should also make sure that I can conduct my business duties within the copyright laws.  I also do not want to arrive at a venue to find that they are fully complying with the conditions set out in their entertainment license and that they will not permit me to perform.  That is the very last thing that I would like to see happen and it is for this particular reason that I am a Pro Dub Licensed Disc Jockey.

There is a very simple and quick way to see if the Disc Jockey or entertainer you wish to hire is a license holder.  All you need to do is visit the Pro Dub License website, click on the 'licensed customers' link and type their surname into the search box.  Licenses are not issued in business names - they are only issued to individuals.  Therefore, if you are thinking about hiring a company that has multiple DJs or several performers on their books, make sure that all the relevant entertainers are listed on the site.