A studio producer often has a considerable contribution to a musical recording. He gives instructions to the musicians and turns the right buttons on the mixing panel. He determines an important part of the sound. His performance needs financial recognition, many producers say.
The Foundation for the Exploitation of Neighbouring Rights (SENA) is the organization in the Netherlands that is responsible for the collection and distribution of payments for the broadcast and otherwise disclosure of phonograms (sound recordings). SENA collects the fee for neighbouring rights. Those are – briefly put – the rights of the artist/performer to his performance of a song and the rights of the producer to the recording of the song.
A group of famous studio producers (including Peter Koelewijn, Eric van Tijn and John Ewbank) tried to show in court that they are a performer and / or a phonogram producer so they would be entitled to a portion of the SENA-monies. Bad news for the studio producers. In its decision of 4 May 2010 the Amsterdam court of appeal ruled that studio producers are not entitled to SENA funds. According to the court, the studio producer is no artist/performer because he does not actually perform the song but merely records it. In addition, the studio producer does not qualify as phonogram producer, seeing not he but the record label bears the financial risk for the making and exploitation of the recording.
The song remains the same. On 14 June 2000 the district court of Amsterdam came to the same conclusion.
Read the ruling here.
Daniël Haije
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A studio producer often has a considerable contribution to a musical recording. He gives instructions to the musicians and turns the right buttons on the mixing panel. He determines an important part of the sound. His performance needs financial recognition, many producers say.
The Foundation for the Exploitation of Neighbouring Rights (SENA) is the organization in the Netherlands that is responsible for the collection and distribution of payments for the broadcast and otherwise disclosure of phonograms (sound recordings). SENA collects the fee for neighbouring rights. Those are – briefly put – the rights of the artist/performer to his performance of a song and the rights of the producer to the recording of the song.
A group of famous studio producers (including Peter Koelewijn, Eric van Tijn and John Ewbank) tried to show in court that they are a performer and / or a phonogram producer so they would be entitled to a portion of the SENA-monies. Bad news for the studio producers. In its decision of 4 May 2010 the Amsterdam court of appeal ruled that studio producers are not entitled to SENA funds. According to the court, the studio producer is no artist/performer because he does not actually perform the song but merely records it. In addition, the studio producer does not qualify as phonogram producer, seeing not he but the record label bears the financial risk for the making and exploitation of the recording.
The song remains the same. On 14 June 2000 the district court of Amsterdam came to the same conclusion.
Read the ruling here.
Daniël Haije