Phonographic Performance (South East Asia) Limited - PPSEAL
Phonographic Performance (South East Asia) Limited has been incorporated since 1984 and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of IFPI (Hong Kong Group) Limited (“IFPIHKG”). PPSEAL is authorized by members of IFPIHKG to grant licenses for the public performance and broadcasting of their musical sound recordings, music videos and/or karaoke videos owned by or licensed to them.
PPSEAL has well established a sound foundation of collective licensing in the past 38 years. Going forward, PPSEAL will continue to represent the interests of the majority of copyright owners in Hong Kong and overseas. It poises to explore new areas of service and is committed to providing top class service and assistance to the public.
The Choice of Hong Kong music fans
Currently, IFPIHKG has over 94 members, representing over 90% of record companies and record producers in Hong Kong. The labels owned and controlled by them cover the majority of commercially released recorded music in Hong Kong. Their musical sound recordings have shared the top ranking positions in terms of popularity in most of the pop charts in Hong Kong for the past several years. In addition, not only do we have access to the works of members of IFPI HKG, but also those of the IFPI members of the world and other overseas collecting societies and rights organizations. Collectively, we aim to provide the best variety of music repertoire from local and international record companies.
HKSAR Registered Licensing Body
PPSEAL is a registered recording copyright Licensing Body in Hong Kong. Under the Copyright Ordinance (Cap 528) of Hong Kong law, copyright subsists in a musical sound/visual recording and copyright of which belongs to and vests in a record company who has made the necessary arrangement to produce the musical sound/visual recording. Any person who reproduces, broadcasts, and/or performs the musical sound/visual recordings in public without prior permission from copyright owner are deemed in violation of the Copyright Ordinance.
Public Performance License
A performance of a musical sound/visual recording is considered made publicly if it is heard outside one’s home or private car, for example, retail shops, shopping malls, department stores, restaurants, hotels, karaoke lounges, exhibitions, concert halls, and so on. One must apply for a license from PPSEAL if (s)he allows musical sound/visual recordings to be heard and/or shown in public, irrespective of the duration and times of such unauthorized use.
Karaoke Server License
The karaoke establishments have to obtain the requisite license from PPSEAL before copying and storing the karaoke videos of our participating record companies to the servers situated in their business premises.
Types of Licenses
Licenses are granted either on annual basis or to cover “one-off” single event. Proceeds collected from these licenses will be distributed amongst the record companies. Occasionally, PPSEAL may grant exemption licenses to events which are in the nature of charitable, social welfare, educational or religious activities.
Main tasks of PPSEAL
Collective administration in licensing and fees collection for the following usages of the recordings:-
- Public Performance (e.g. retail shops, restaurants, bars, karaoke premises, shopping centres etc.)
- Broadcasting (e.g. radio stations, TV stations, etc)
- Simulcast
- Internet Broadcast / Webcast
- Cable Transmission
- Pay TV
- Satellite TV
- Karaoke Server
Distribution to rights holders
PPSEAL is a non-profit making organization, after having deducted the administrative costs, it uses the modern royalty system to distribute the license fees collected among the record companies.