MONEY resulting from the playing of Jamaican music in the UK will now be sent to producers and label owners locally, following a new agreement between collecting societies aimed at increasing Jamaica’s music earnings.

The agreement which was reached “a few weeks ago” involves Jamaica Music Society (JAMMS) and the UK based Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) and is part of an effort of the local body to grow its annual royalties to $10 million by 2012.

“We are very happy that this agreement has been finalised, as it will mean increased performance royalty income for our members, who have active repertoire in the UK,” JAMMS general manager, Evon Mullings noted in a release yesterday. The agreement followed a series of intense negotiations as the growth of JAMMS is predicated on vastly expanding licensing activities locally, but also on earning royalties from overseas. JAMMS represents professionals which own music masters including producers, sound system and record label owners.

PPL is a major collecting society which manages the rights of 45,000 performers and 5,750 record companies since 1934. In 2009, PPL generated total distributable revenue of £92 million.

“The agreement with PPL will enable JAMMS members whose records are played in the United Kingdom to benefit from airplay and public performance royalties from that territory,” stated the release. The agreement will be effective January 1, 2010.

“The royalty income from this agreement will however not materialise or become available until 2011, when PPL pays out royalty in respect of the 2010 period,” stated the release.

JAMMS recalled that the UK has always been an important market for Jamaican music, from the time of the Millie Small’s smash hit single My Boy Lollipop to Jimmy Cliff’s Wonderful World, Beautiful People, to Bob Marley and the Wailers Catch A Fire album, to Shaka Demus and Pliers’ Murder She Wrote, among countless others. The popularity of Jamaican music in the UK is still notable, and radio stations such as BBC 1 Extra and Choice FM are home to a number of dedicated reggae programmes.

According to head of International at PPL, Laurence Oxenbury: “PPL is keen to support the licensing efforts of JAMMS and maximise our members revenue. This agreement meets both these objectives. Furthermore, Jamaican music enjoys a great platform in the UK and we are pleased we can now offer JAMMS members and the JAMMS repertoire, a UK service”.

The agreement also involves JAMMS managing the rights of PPL’s vast repertoire in Jamaica. PPL currently manages performance rights for many independent record labels, many of which own popular titles which enjoy airplay in Jamaica.

“We are very pleased to conclude this contract with JAMMS,” said PPL’s executive director, Peter Leathem. “Jamaica has a flourishing local music market and we look to bring value and monies to their members. In addition, it is critical we increase the number of agreements we have with the music licensing companies in the Americas and Far East as well as, importantly, in the Caribbean.”

JAMMS is currently pursuing similar arrangements with other foreign societies, including AVLA (Canada) and SOUND EXCHANGE (USA), to complement those it already has with other foreign collecting societies.

JAMMS was incorporated in 2006 and is a non-profit organisation established under the Copyright Act of Jamaica, to administer the intellectual property rights granted to record producers and or record companies.

The role of JAMMS is to manage the broadcasting and public performance rights of its members, through its role as a ‘licensing agency/performance rights organisation. This involves the granting of licences to music users, involved in broadcasting or ‘public performance’ of sound recordings. This includes radio and television broadcasters, webcasters, party promoters, clubs operators, restaurants, gyms etc. All persons or entities that broadcast or publicly perform sound recordings as part of their commercial activities, require a JAMMS licence.