PRS for Music secures new blanket licence with BBC

Andy Harrower, Director of Licensing, PRS for Music: “This is an important deal for PRS for Music and for our members."

PRS for Music has successfully secured brand new licences with the BBC. The new deal will ensure the continued flow of PRS and MCPS royalties to its members from the BBC’s TV, radio and online services.

The new licences cover: the BBC’s public service television, radio and online services in the UK, BBC World Service and arrangements are in place for BBC Studios to continue to exploit their programmes around the world under commercial licences.

This is an important deal for PRS for Music and for our members. We have enjoyed a long relationship with the BBC and are pleased to have agreed terms which ensure that PRS and MCPS members continue to be fairly rewarded whenever their music is used on the BBC’s television, radio and on-demand services.

The BBC is happy to have secured terms with PRS and MCPS to agree music rights across all of its public services.  The agreement means that the BBC is able to deliver its popular and much-loved content to audiences in ways in which they enjoy, whilst providing value for money for the BBC licence fee payers.  The PRS and MCPS are valued partners to the BBC and we recognise the value that their members’ music brings to the BBC. There is an overwhelming consensus within the UK music industry that the BBC is hugely committed to music.  Our support via BBC Music Introducing, the eight-week BBC Proms season, our radio networks, the launch of BBC Sounds, as well as our commitment to music TV, makes the BBC a unique partner to the UK music industry. We look forward to working together once again with the PRS and MCPS in the years to come.

About PRS for Music

Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public. 

For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues. prsformusic.com