CLARE BOWDITCH - APRA

The APRA|AMCOS
annual report
documents
are available
online at:
www.apra.com.
au/corporate/
DocsPolicies.asp
APRA|AMCOS The Year
in Review 2005-06
This document presents
a summary of the
achievements and key
issues faced by the
Australasian Performing
Right Association and the
Australasian Mechanical
Copyright Owners Society
over the past financial year.
It features messages from
Mike Perjanik, Chairman
of the APRA Board and
Ian James, Chairman of
the AMCOS Board, plus,
a report from APRA|AMCOS
CEO, Brett Cottle.
APRA Annual Financial
Report: 30 June 2006
This report presents the
financial results of the
Australasian Performing
Right Association for the
year ended 30 June 2006.
It features a report from
the Board of Directors,
plus financial statements
as prepared by APRA’s
auditors.
AMCOS Annual Financial
Report: 30 June 2006
This report presents the
financial results of the
Australasian Mechanical
Copyright Owners Society
the year ended 30
June 2006. It features a
report from the Board of
Directors, plus financial
statements as prepared by
AMCOS’ auditors.
APRA has declared total
revenue of $127.2 million
(net of management fees)
for the 2005/06 financial
year, a growth of 2.9%
over the previous financial
year. AMCOS returns for
the 2005/06 year rose by
8.8% to $41 million, bringing
consolidated APRA|AMCOS
revenue to a new high of
$168.2 million.
APRA|AMCOS’ final figure
for net distributable income
accorded almost exactly
with budget forecasts, owing
to solid growth in some
licensing areas and continued
restraint in expenditure. This
was despite the adverse
effect of a number of factors
– principally a softening in
broadcast advertising revenue, a
precipitous second-half decline
in the value of the NZ dollar, a
continued decline in cinema box
office and some major concert
tour cancellations.
APRA distributed a total of $110.3
million during the year, a 6.3%
increase on the previous year,
AMCOS distributed a total of
$35million, an increase of 25%.
A total of 19,271 members
received a royalty allocation
from either APRA or AMCOS
during the year, while 104,307
members of affiliated societies
around the world received an
allocation.
APRA now has more than
44,000 members, comprising
43,856 writer members
resident in Australia or New
Zealand, and 437 publishers.
AMCOS represents 577 writers
and 282 publisher members.
Overall, membership of both
organisations grew by 11.9%
during the year.
Expense to revenue ratio
APRA’s costs (net of the costs
of administering the AMCOS
mandate) amounted to $16.3m
or 12.8% of gross revenue; its
lowest ratio ever.
Australian
original
music
earnings
steady +
on track
APRA|AMCOS
FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE
2005-06
By Kirti Jacobs, APRA
Communications
Positive aspects of
APRA|AMCOS’ revenue
collection for 2005-06
REVENUE AT A GLANCE
u Licence fees from pay
television grew by 12.5%
to $8.2 million, despite
low market penetration
(in Australia only 25% of
households have pay-tv)
u APRA’s online revenue
(principally webcasting and
ringtone transmissions)
grew by 158.3% to $1.2million
– the first time we’ve
surpassed the $1 million
figure. Likewise, AMCOS
achieved a similar figure for
the year, with the arrival of
the Apple iTunes service in
Australia (but not yet in New
Zealand). When ringtone and
other mobile applications are
aggregated, AMCOS’ new
technology income is now
well in excess of $6m, or
15% of total revenue.
u General public performance
revenue (including cinemas)
in New Zealand rose
– despite the fall in the
currency – by nearly 10%
during the year, to A$2.4
million.
u Foreign revenue was
maintained at $17.2 million,
despite a comparatively
strong Australian dollar and
a challenging international
environment for collections
generally.
u APRA concluded new
long-term agreements with:
• the Pay-TV industry, under
which per subscriber fees
will increase substantially,
• the hotel, club, restaurant
and fitness industries, in
respect of background
recorded music, where
fixed annual fees will
increase, phased in over
three years, and
• the cinema industry, where
licence fees will similarly
increase phased in over
three years.
u The re-licensing of premises
covered by the latter two
schemes will involve the
termination and re-institution
of more than 16,000 individual
licence agreements.
uDuring the year APRA’s
case for substantial
increases in licence
fees paid by retail
establishments for the use
of recorded music was
heard by the Copyright
Tribunal. As this report
is being prepared,
we are awaiting the
Tribunal’s determination.
Approximately 32,000
businesses throughout
Australia will be affected
by the decision.
MECHANICAL
LICENSING REVENUE
u On the mechanical right
side, AMCOS negotiated and
concluded a new long-term
physical product licence
scheme during the year. The
scheme covers CD, DVD and
hybrid mixed-content formats.
The agreement preserves the
existing audio and audiovisual
rates applicable under
the statutory mechanical
licensing provisions (and
voluntary extensions thereof)
at 8.7% and 6.5% of PPD
(Published Price to Dealer)
respectively, and applies
those rates at an individual
track level for mixed content
productions.
keep an eye on
>> Photos by Helen Page
At the youthful age of nineteen, Jordan
Millar is one of Australia’s most refreshing
new singer/songwriters and the winner of
Most Promising Tasmanian Act at the 2006
Amplified Festival.
Jordan started off playing regular gigs in
his home town of Hobart, and has honed his
skills as a performer, capturing his audiences
with his impressive guitar chops and melodic,
intelligent songwriting. Word of mouth has
delivered him a solid fan base with more than
300 people attending the launch of his debut
EP release, Wishful Thinking.
12TH DEADLYS
This year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Awards were hosted by Ernie Dingo at the Sydney Opera
House. The event featured performances by legendary
Koori singer/songwriter Bobby McLeod, Broome
superstars Pigram Brothers and Torres Strait chanteuse,
Cindy Drummond.
Troy Cassar-Daly took out Music Artist of the Year and
Single of the Year for Lonesome But Free. The Pigram
Brothers won Album of the Year for Under the Mango Tree,
Troy’n’Trevelyn & The Tribe won Band of the Year. The
Jimmy Little Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Music was awarded to Roger Knox.
>> Kenbi Dancers
>> Warren H Williams and band
>> Warren H Willams,
Ebony Williams and
Henley White.
Jordan Millar
In 2005 Jordan performed at the Falls Festival
and was a support act for Delta Goodrem and
Tim Freedman. This year, in addition to his
win at Amplified, he has won an award at
the Australian National Youth Week RockIT
Industry Awards and performed at the
Songwriters Showcase at The Basement,
Sydney.
For more information, go to
www.myspace.com/jordanmillar
>> Photos by Wayne Quilliam
>> Jordan Millar
Celebratingindigenous
ARTISTS & MUSIC
>>June Mills
>> Yilila
>> Tom E and Grace Lewis
>> Gurrumul Yunupingu
>> Edmond Nundhirribala
>> Dancers at the 12th Deadlys
NT INDIGENOUS
MUSIC AWARDS 07
>> Troy N Trevelyn >> Troy Cassar-Daly
>> Pigram Brothers
More than 2000 people packed out Darwin’s Amphitheatre
for the third annual Northern Territory Indigenous Music
Awards. Ebony Williams, APRA’s Indigenous Project Officer
was on hand to present Warren H Williams with the Song
of the Year Award for his hit Learn My Song. Other winners
on the night included June Mills (Best Female Musician)
and White Cockatoo (Traditional Music Award). Task from
hip-hop group North Coast Clique won the New and
Emerging Act award, while Yilila from Numbulwar won the
Act of the Year award and the band’s lead vocalist, Grant
Nundhirribala won Best Male Musician. Top End group
Soft Sands and the Warumpi Band, from central Australia,
were inducted into the Indigenous Music Hall of Fame.
>> Sharnee Fenwick
A P R A P D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 6 > > 0 6