Joan Warner, Former Radio Lobbyist, Joins Push For Radio to Pay More to Artists

Joan Warner, previous long-serving CEO of CRA (Commercial Radio Australia, now known as Commercial Radio and Audio), has done an about-face and is now consulting on a campaign which pushes for radio networks to pay more money for the music they play.

In her previous role, Warner was well-known for lobbying for the interests of the commercial radio networks and keeping their costs and payments as low as possible.

Now, however, along with PPCA, she is pushing for the 1% payment limit to be removed.

The PPCA has labelled the current system “unfair and anticompetitive”.

The current cap limits the amount Australian radio broadcasters are required to pay artists and labels to no more than 1% of the station’s gross annual revenue.

“Radio has built a successful business playing music, yet artists and rightsholders are not being paid a fair market rate when their music is played on the radio,” a petition to the House of Representatives says. “Artificial caps, set in the Copyright Act over 50 years ago, limit how much radio stations pay to play their music (specifically sound recordings). There are no caps in any other form of copyright, and numerous reviews have recommended the removal of these limits.

“The radio caps are unfair and uncompetitive. The caps should be removed allowing the market to determine an appropriate rate so artists and rightsholders are paid fairly for their music.”

TMN understands the PPCA and Warner are currently securing meetings with the Attorney General and relevant ministers, and looking to launch the campaign properly in June with prominent artists.