- Gema communicates details regarding musical performance costs for Yuletide fairs
The upward shift in Gema charges for music at German Christmas markets in 2023 sparked distress among local administrations. In an attempt to prevent a similar predicament this year, the collective rights management organization is now concentrating on a comprehensive informative initiative.
This initiative comprises a dedicated info segment on the Gema website, webinars, and tutorials on navigating their online portal, a spokesperson from Munich confirmed. As board member Georg Oeller added, the aim is to provide planning clarity so that all organizers understand the applicable tariff and the registration process for music.
The Bavarian-based Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte (Gema) is a body that represents approximately 95,000 musicians, songwriters, composers, and lyricists. In essence, a Gema fee is payable whenever music is utilized publicly, such as during events or as background music in retail establishments.
Anomalies in tariff assessment
Besides the genre of music, the scale of the market and the number of opening days are the crucial determinants in setting the license fee. Music can also be employed differently at Christmas markets: as ambient music, broadcast through speakers, or as live performances on stage.
On days with live performances, the tariff for urban festivals (U-ST) is applicable, encompassing the entire event area of the Christmas market. However, if music is not performed live but broadcast through speakers, solely as background music, from sound carriers, or via the radio, different tariffs apply.
Last year, several German municipalities voiced concern over excessively high Gema bills for music at Christmas markets. In protest, a few cities organized a "Silent Day" devoid of music at the Christmas market.
Gema insisted that the calculation basis remained unaltered. Nevertheless, certain Christmas markets reported smaller event areas, which were inspected for the first time in 2022. These "anomalies in tariff assessment" led Gema to preemptively educate all organizers about music usage on their respective Christmas markets for 2023.
In 2023, Gema licensed music usage on around 4,000 Christmas markets in Germany. Typically, these markets spanned areas ranging from 100 to 3,000 square meters, with exceptional cases exceeding 10,000 square meters.
The comprehensive informative initiative by Gema aims to address the concerns in Bavaria, as last year, several German municipalities, including those in Bavaria, voiced concerns over high Gema bills for music at Christmas markets. To ensure clarity and prevent any anomalies in tariff assessment, the Bavaria-based Gema has included information specifically tailored for organizers in Bavaria.
