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COPYRIGHT COLLECTIVE SOCIETIES
A collective society is an organization that administers the rights of several copyright owners. It can grant permission to use their works and set the conditions for that use. Collective administration is widespread in Canada, particularly for music performance rights, reprography rights and mechanical reproduction rights. Some collective societies are affiliated with foreign societies; this allows them to represent foreign copyright owners as well.
Audio Ciné Films Audio Ciné Films Inc. (ACF) is Canada's exclusive non-theatrical distributor and public performance licensing agent for Canadian, American and foreign feature film producers such as Universal Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Alliance-Atlantis, Paramount Pictures, MGM Studios, Touchstone Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, United Artists, FineLine Features, Orion Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, New Line Cinema, Behaviour, Miramax Films, Odeon, Sony Classics, Paramount Classics, Blackwatch Releasing and Artisan Entertainment, among others. It distributes films in 16MM, 35MM, videocassette and DVD. Canadian Screenwriters Collection Society (CSCS) The Canadian Screenwriters Collection Society (CSCS) is a non-profit corporation created by the Writers Guild of Canada with the mandate to claim, collect and distribute secondary authors' levies to which film and television writers are entitled under the copyright legislation of European and other jurisdictions. In this context, secondary authors' monies include private home copying (blank tape) levies, rental and lending levies, and educational use levies. Christian Video Licensing International (CVLI) Christian Video Licensing International (CVLI) is a copyright collection agency that has been serving the faith-based market since 2000. CVLI provides churches and other religious institutions a license that allows for the public performance of copyrighted motion pictures and other audiovisual programs within their facilities. The institutions can choose titles from over 330 producers and distributors. Criterion Pictures Criterion Pictures is the non-theatrical distributor of feature films for many of Hollywood's major motion picture studios. It offers movies to the non-theatrical market on four primary mediums: 35mm, 16mm, VHS and DVD. Criterion Pictures administers and manages both educational (Visual Education Centre) and entertainment audiovisual works including motion pictures distributed by, among many others, Astral Films (TVA), Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Fox Searchlight, Lions Gate Films, Lucas Films, Norstar Releasing Inc., Tri-Star Pictures, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Revolution Studios and Savoy Pictures. It grants licences for the use of these protected works. Directors Rights Collective of Canada (DRCC) The Directors Rights Collective of Canada (DRCC) is a non-profit corporation founded by the Directors Guild of Canada. Its mandate is to collect and distribute royalties and levies to which film and television directors are entitled under the copyright legislation of jurisdictions throughout the world. Producers Audiovisual Collective of Canada The Producers’ Audiovisual Collective of Canada (PACC) is a not-for-profit copyright collective founded by the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA). On behalf of Canadian producers and other Canadian rightsholders, it collects, allocates and distributes royalties arising from most secondary uses, in a number of countries, of their productions, or more specifically, from the sale of blank audiovisual recording media and devices (often referred to as "private copy levies"), from the rental and lending of video recordings, from exhibition or public performance rights, and from educational copying and performance of audiovisual works. Société civile des auteurs multimédias (SCAM) The Société civile des auteurs multimédia (SCAM) is an international Francophone society tasked by its members with negotiating licences with conventional and specialty broadcasters, negotiating agreements for cable retransmission, as well as collecting and distributing their royalties. SCAM's repertoire consists mainly of audio-visual documentaries, as well as radio and literary works. |
Educational Rights Collective of Canada (ERCC) The Educational Rights Collective of Canada (ERCC) is a non-profit collective established in 1998 to represent the interests of copyright owners of television and radio programs (news, commentary programs and all other programs), when these programs are reproduced and performed in public by educational institutions for educational or training purposes. |
Access Copyright, The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency Access Copyright, The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency, represents writers, publishers and other creators for the reproduction rights of works published in books, magazines, journals and newspapers. Access Copyright provides access to copyrighted materials by filing tariffs and negotiating licences that permit the reproduction of works in its repertoire by user groups such as schools, universities, colleges, governments and corporations in Canada (excluding Quebec). Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) The Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) is the national service organization for professional playwrights. It represents nearly 400 members, distributes more than 2,000 plays and offers many services to the theatre-loving public. It acts as agent for the distribution of rights and collection of royalties. Société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques (SACD) The Société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques (SACD) is an international Francophone society tasked by its members (playwrights, screenwriters, composers, producers, choreographers, and directors) with negotiating licences with conventional and specialty broadcasters, negotiating agreements for cable retransmission, as well as collecting and distributing their royalties. SACD's repertoire consists of stage works (plays, ballets, operas, operettas, reviews, musicals, mime performances and skits), audio-visual works (movies for television, series, serial dramas, cartoons, and feature and non-feature films) and radio works. Société québécoise de gestion collective des droits de reproduction (COPIBEC) La Société québécoise de gestion collective des droits de reproduction (COPIBEC) is the collective society which authorizes in Quebec the reproduction of works from Quebec, Canadian (through a bilateral agreement with Access Copyright, The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency) and foreign rights holders. COPIBEC was founded in 1997 by l'Union des écrivaines et écrivains québécois (UNEQ) and the Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL). Société québécoise des auteurs dramatiques (SoQAD) Founded in 1994, the Société québécoise des auteurs dramatiques (SoQAD) has the mandate of redistributing (redirect/forward) to Quebec, Canadian and foreign playwrights whose works are performed in public or private teaching institutions to the pre-school, primary and secondary levels, royalties provided for in the financial agreement between the Ministry of Education and the Association québécoise des auteurs dramatiques (AQAD). |
Canadian Broadcasters Rights Agency (CBRA) The Canadian Broadcasters Rights Agency (CBRA) claims royalties for programming and excerpts of programming owned by commercial radio and television stations and networks in Canada, including CTV, TVA and Quatre-Saisons networks and their affiliates, the Global Television Network, independent television stations and the privately-owned affiliates of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Société Radio-Canada (SRC). |
ACTRA Performers' Rights Society (ACTRA PRS) As a division of ACTRA Performers' Rights Society ("ACTRA PRS"), ACTRA Recording Artists' Collecting Society ("ACTRA RACS") is a not for profit organization that has been collecting and disbursing equitable remuneration for eligible recording artists for over ten years. Equitable remuneration monies are received through certified tariffs, including private copying and reciprocal agreements. ArtistI ArtistI is the collective society of the Union des artistes (UDA) for the remuneration of performers' rights. Audio-Video Licensing Agency (AVLA) The Audio-Video Licensing Agency (AVLA) is a copyright collective that administers the copyright in master audio and music video recordings. AVLA licences the exhibition and reproduction of music videos and the reproduction of audio recordings for commercial use. Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) The Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) is a Canadian centralized licensing and collecting agency for the reproduction rights of musical works in Canada. It represents over 6,000 Canadian and U.S. publishers who own and administer approximately 75 per cent of the music recorded and performed in Canada. Licensing is done on a per use basis. Christian Copyright Licensing Inc. (CCLI) The Christian Copyright Licensing Inc. (CCLI) was created to help churches comply with the copyright law and to compensate copyright owners fairly for such compliance. The CCLI issues licences to reproduce songs in bulletins, liturgies and congregational songsheets; make slides and transparencies of songs; print songs in customized songbooks; make customized arrangements of songs and record worship services for tape ministry. Musicians' Rights Organization Canada Musicians' Rights Organization Canada (MROC) is a non-profit copyright collective that collects and redistributes to its musicians royalties and remuneration flowing from Re:Sound and similar societies around the world. Those monies arise out of the radio airplay, public performance and private copying (the blank CD levy) of sound recordings on which musicians have performed. Re:Sound Music Licensing Company (Re:Sound) Re:Sound (formerly known as the Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada) is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. On behalf of its members, representing thousands of artists and record companies, Re:Sound licenses recorded music for public performance, broadcast and new media. Re:Sound is also a member of the Canadian Private Copying Collective, created to receive private copying levies from the manufacturers and importers of blank audio recording media. Société de gestion collective des droits des producteurs de phonogrammes et vidéogrammes du Québec (SOPROQ) SOPROQ is a non-profit copyright collective society founded in 1991 whose mission is to collect and distribute royalties owed to independent makers of sound and video recordings under the Copyright Act. These royalties include those deriving from the equitable remuneration and private copying regimes. SOPROQ also grants, for the benefit of its members, licenses for sound recording reproduction rights and music video use. SOPROQ manages uses throughout Canada as well as uses abroad thanks to agreements entered into by SOPROQ on behalf of its members. SOPROQ represents hundreds of Canadian and foreign rightsholders for whom it manages thousands of sound and video recordings. Société de gestion des droits des artistes-musiciens (SOGEDAM) The Société de gestion des droits des artistes-musiciens (SOGEDAM) is a collective society created in 1997 to represent Canadian performers (musicians) and performers who are members of foreign societies that have mandated it to represent their interests. Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) The Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) administers royalties stemming from the reproduction of musical works. It represents some 6,000 Canadian songwriters and music publishers as well as the musical repertoire of over 89 countries. Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a performing rights society that administers performing rights in musical works on behalf of Canadian composers, authors and publishers as well as affiliated societies representing foreign composers, authors and publishers. |
Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) is the collective society for the private copying levy. CPCC is also responsible for distributing the funds generated by the levy to the collective societies representing eligible authors, performers and makers of sound recordings. The member collectives of the CPCC are: the Canadian Mechanical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), the Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada (NRCC), the Société de gestion des droits des artistes-musiciens (SOGEDAM), the Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN). |
Border Broadcasters' Inc. (BBI) Border Broadcasters' Inc. (BBI) represents U.S. border broadcasters (a mix of network affiliated and independent stations in large and small markets along the Canada-U.S. border). The royalties that BBI collects and distributes to its members are for programs produced by the stations (i.e. the local programming) as opposed to the network or syndicated programming which is represented by other collectives. Canadian Broadcasters Rights Agency (CBRA) The Canadian Broadcasters Rights Agency (CBRA) claims royalties for programming, compilations and signals owned by commercial radio and television stations and networks in Canada, including CTV, TVA and Quatre-Saisons networks and their affiliates, the Global Television Network, independent television stations and the privately-owned affiliates of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Société Radio-Canada (SRC). Canadian Retransmission Collective (CRC) The Canadian Retransmission Collective (CRC) represents all PBS and TVOntario programming (producers) as well as owners of motion pictures and television drama and comedy programs produced outside the United States (i.e. Canada and other countries). Canadian Retransmission Right Association (CRRA) The Canadian Retransmission Right Association (CRRA) is an association representing certain broadcasters, i.e.: the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and Télé-Québec with respect to their interests as copyright owners of radio and television programming retransmitted as distant signals in Canada. CRRA acts as the collective for its members, collecting and distributing royalties paid by retransmitters in Canada. Copyright Collective of Canada (CCC) The Copyright Collective of Canada (CCC) represents copyright owners (producers and distributors) of the U.S. independent motion picture and television production industry for all drama and comedy programming (such as companies represented by the Motion Picture Association of America), except for that carried on the PBS network stations. Direct Response Television Collective (DRTVC) E-mail: info@drtvc.ca The Direct Response Television Collective (DRTVC) claims royalties for all television programs and underlying works in the form of direct response television programming (defined as "infomercials") including all television programs and underlying works (with the exception of programming predominantly religious or devotional in nature) whose broadcast is subject to the producer, program owner or program distributor buying airtime in respect of which retransmission royalties may be claimed. FWS Joint Sports Claimants (FWS) The FWS Joints Sports Claimants (FWS) represents the teams in major sports leagues whose games are regularly telecast in Canada and the United States. The leagues are the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association and the Canadian, National and American Football Leagues. The programs for which copyright royalties are claimed are games broadcast between the member teams on distant signals carried by Canadian cable systems, except for those for which a television network is the copyright owner. Major League Baseball Collective of Canada (MLB) The Major League Baseball Collective of Canada (MLB) is the sole party entitled to claim royalties arising out of the retransmission of major league baseball games in Canada. Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a performing rights society that administers performing rights in musical works on behalf of Canadian composers, authors and publishers as well as affiliated societies representing foreign composers, authors and publishers. With respect to retransmission, SOCAN represents owners of the copyright in the music that is integrated in the programming carried in retransmitted radio and television signals. Rather than claiming ownership of individual programs, SOCAN asks for a share of the royalties for all works. |
Canadian Artists' Representation Copyright Collective (CARCC) CARCC (Canadian Artists' Representation Copyright Collective) was established in 1990 to create opportunities for increased income for visual and media artists. It provides its services to artists who affiliate with the Collective. These services include negotiating the terms for copyright use and issuing an appropriate license to the user. Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) SODRAC's Visual Arts and Crafts Department manages the rights of more than 17,000 Canadian and foreign creators of artistic works. SODRAC negotiates on their behalf the conditions for the use of their works for any of the purposes outlined in the Copyright Act, and grants licences for public exhibition, communication to the public by telecommunication and the reproduction of their works on any media, including audiovisual and multimedia. It collects and distributes royalties paid for the right to use their works. To check if an artist is represented by SODRAC's Visual Arts and Crafts Department, please consult the "Repertoire" page under the "Artistic Works" section on its Web site. |