Worried Gyms Set To Duck For Covers Health Clubs Sweat On Increased Cost Of Musical Rights
The Age
Thursday July 12, 2007
GYM members could be forced to perform their squat thrusts to cover versions of popular songs, as fitness clubs look to avoid a big hike in licence fees for playing copyrighted music in classes.
The possible fee rise for fitness clubs follows a Copyright Tribunal ruling on Tuesday on playing recorded music in public. The tribunal ruled nightclubs and dance parties had to pay $1.05 and $3.07 per patron respectively. A rise in fees paid by gyms was now also before the tribunal, Lauretta Stace, chief executive of Fitness Australia, the body representing fitness clubs, said. The organisation received a proposal from the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia to increase fitness class licence fees from 92.4 cents a class to $31.67 a class.Under that proposal, from December 2005, an "average size" fitness centre running 40 classes a week would have to pay annual licence costs of $65,000, up from $1900 under present arrangements, Ms Stace said. "That level of increase . . . could mean a reduction in the number of group exercises run," Ms Stace said. "Any increase in (membership) costs will see people dropping out of fitness, which is disappointing for our clubs but also for the general population." Gyms were also exploring the option of substituting copyrighted music played during exercise classes with "unprotected . . . cover versions". "Whether it's (ABBA tribute band) Bjorn Again or the real thing, we don't think it will affect the class," Ms Stace said. The matter of a fee increase went to the tribunal after negotiations with the Phonographic Performance Company over the proposal broke down late last year, Ms Stace said. Stephen Peach, chief executive of the Phonographic Performance Company, said it had "commenced a review of aerobics and fitness clubs", but said it was too early to estimate any specific change in fees. But Ms Stace said she expected the review would recommend fees similar to those proposed in 2005. The increase in fees paid by nightclubs and dance parties announced on Tuesday followed evidence at the tribunal on "the significance of music in defining the (modern nightclub) experience". But it was "absurd" to think people went to a fitness centres to listen to music, Ms Stace said. "There are a whole range of reasons why people go to a fitness class . . . and listening to music is well down on that list."
© 2007 The Age