JUNO Week Steps Ahead to Become Licensed To Play with SOCAN

SOCAN

SOCAN and CARAS call on all businesses that use music to support
Canada's music creators through fair licensing

TORONTO, March 10, 2016 /CNW/ - The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has stepped ahead to stand behind fair and legal music licensing to make the 2016 JUNO Awards and JUNO Week become the first major awards event to be Licensed To Play with SOCAN.

The largest organization in the Canadian music ecosystem has presented the 2016 JUNO Awards and JUNO Week with a special Licensed To Play designation for working to ensure that all of its performance venues are legally licensed with SOCAN to perform live and recorded music.

After confirming that more than 15 JUNO live music venues are licensed with SOCAN, JUNO Week was presented with a special Licensed To Play designation, a version of the emblem that more than 40,000 Canadian music-using businesses have so far received to show off their support of fair compensation for music creators.

"We are a proud supporter of the Licensed To Play initiative with SOCAN," said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts. "CARAS believes that it is essential that we play a part in ensuring that all of Canada's music creators are fairly compensated through licensing."

"Being Licensed To Play with SOCAN is a badge of honour and pride, and the 2016 JUNOS honour songwriters, composers and music publishers by stepping ahead to make a bold statement that they stand behind music creators' right and need to be compensated fairly for their work," said SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste.

The 45th annual JUNO Awards is the largest music event in North America that honours Canadian artists. JUNO Week 2016 will showcase nearly 120 music acts at more than 15 live music venues across Calgary from March 28 to April 3. JUNO Week culminates with the live broadcast of the JUNO Awards on CTV on April 3rd.

While organizations that use music to make their business better should abide by the law, constantly monitoring every one of Canada's music-using businesses is not feasible. SOCAN works with businesses and their trade associations to encourage them to stay up-to-date with their fair music licenses. Collectively, these licenses are a major part of a songwriter, composer or music publisher's livelihood through royalties, and a vital aspect of Canada's music ecosystem.

In May of last year, Canadian Music Week became the first major music festival and conference in North America to ensure that all of its live music venues are licensed so that music creators and publishers can be fairly compensated. Since then, others have followed CMW's lead.

About SOCAN
SOCAN is a member-based organization that represents the Canadian performing rights of more than four-million Canadian and international music creators and publishers. SOCAN is proud to play a leading role in supporting the long-term success of its more than 130,000 Canadian members, and the Canadian music ecosystem overall. SOCAN licenses more than 125,000 businesses in Canada, and distributes royalties to its members and music rights organizations around the world. SOCAN also distributes royalties to its members for the use of their music internationally in collaboration with its peer societies. www.socan.ca

About CARAS
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L'académie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l'enregistrement (CARAS) is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the Canadian music industry and to contribute toward higher artistic and industry standards. The main focus of CARAS is the exploration and development of ongoing opportunities to showcase and promote Canadian artists and music through vehicles such as The JUNO Awards and other year-round initiatives. For more information on the 45th Annual JUNO Awards or the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) please visit www.junoawards.ca

SOURCE SOCAN

Image with caption: "SOCAN has designated 2016 JUNO Week as the first major awards event to be LICENSED TO PLAY, in support of legal, ethical and fair music rights. (CNW Group/SOCAN)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160310_C4446_PHOTO_EN_640279.jpg

SOCAN: Amal Yassir, 416-442-3838 ext. 3747, [email protected]; Environics Communications (for SOCAN): Lorna Freeman, 416-969-2711, [email protected]