Podcasts
Getting paid for podcasts
• APRA AMCOS pays royalties when a valid claim is made by a member that their music has been used in podcasts that have been made available in Australia or New Zealand
• APRA AMCOS may also receive and distribute royalties from the use of music in podcasts being made available overseas, although royalties resulting from such use is rare.
How do I get paid ?
APRA AMCOS does pay royalties for when music is used in podcasts that are played in Australia and New Zealand.
Unfortunately, some services that play podcasts are not paying licence fees to play podcasts in Australia and New Zealand. Also, some that are licensed don’t provide music reporting that is accurate enough for APRA AMCOS to distribute royalties to individual works when they’re used.
As a result, it is often the case that APRA AMCOS is unable to distribute funds accurately to specific works used in podcasts.
That said, if you do have evidence that your works are being used in podcasts, you can lodge a claim for payment from the Unclaimed Performance Pool for the performance of those works. APRA AMCOS will review those claims and will, where valid, distribute royalties in accordance with the Distribution Rules for the Unclaimed Performance Pool.
In the event that APRA AMCOS is paid for the use of works in podcasts that have been played in overseas territories, APRA AMCOS will distribute those amounts to the relevant member. However, royalties arising from the licensing of music in podcasts internationally is rare.
When do I get paid?
Unlogged Performance Claim royalties are typically distributed to members four times a year – on 31 August, 30 November, 28 February and 31 May.
If royalties from podcasts are paid in accordance with standard distributions, such as from audio streaming licences, then those royalties will be paid in accordance with the timeframes applicable to those standard distributions. Similarly, international royalties will be paid in accordance with the timelines associated with international payments.
Learn more about different payment types and distributions.
Direct licences
Writer members also have the option to ‘licence back’ their rights from APRA AMCOS.
A ‘licence back’ can then allow you to license rights directly to the person that is delivering the podcast that includes your music .
Learn more about Licence Backs
See also:
Frequently asked questions
Can I earn royalties from airplay on online radio and digital radio stations?
Yes. The majority of Australian and New Zealand online and digital radio stations are simulcasts of their analogue versions, and this additional use is licensed under their standard APRA AMCOS agreements.
Will I get paid for international radio or TV broadcasts of my song?
We do monitor overseas TV and radio broadcasts, as well as chart information. However if you know your music has been used overseas, you should email us at [email protected] so we can contact the society and make sure you’re paid.
How do I copyright and register my works?
Copyright and registration are two separate things.
Copyright is free and automatic.
That's right—you don’t have to do anything to ‘get’ copyright; it's there from the moment you write down or record the song. So as soon as you create a new song or piece of music, you have copyright in it.
Register works with APRA AMCOS.
To ensure you receive royalties when your work is played or performed, you must register your songs and compositions through the Writer Portal or App.
