Music Venue Trust urges songwriters to support an end of minimum fees on PRS gigs licence
The Music Venue Trust has written an open letter to members of PRS urging them to ask the powers that be at their collecting society to remove the minimum rate from its licence for gigs and concerts, the so called Tariff LP licence.

PRS, of course, represents the performing rights in songs on behalf of songwriters and music publishers, licensing any third parties in the UK which wish to exploit the public performance and communication elements of the song copyright. PRS has the exclusive right to license those elements of its members' works, which means that even if an artist performs their own songs at a show, if they are a PRS the member the promoter of that gig still needs a licence from the collecting society.

The Tariff LP licence rate is 3% of ticket income, but there is a minimum charge of £38. The Music Venue Trust argues that that penalises grass roots venues, which will often be promoting shows licensed under Tariff LP where 3% of ticket income is well below the £38 minimum. And while £38 might sound like a nominal sum of money, for a grass roots music sector really struggling to break even, it's an extra burden.

In its letter, the Music Venue Trust's boss Mark Davyd writes: "You will be aware that grassroots music venues in the UK have suffered a dramatic decline; 40% of this vital resource has been lost in London, and this situation is mirrored right across the country. There are a huge number of factors resulting in this decline; 21 separate elements were identified in the Mayor of London's Music Venues Rescue Plan".

But, says Davyd, the minimum rate under Tariff LP doesn't help. He writes: "Music Venue Trust believes strongly that writers deserve to be paid for the performance of their work. We are committed to ensuring that the venues we represent play a role in recognising that work and ensuring those writers are adequately remunerated for it".

But, by having a minimum, small venues are paying disproportionally higher rates. "[At] venues like Green Note in Camden (capacity 60) or Louisiana in Bristol (100 capacity) ... 3% of the door takings almost never amounts to £38. On a show selling £200 of tickets, where 3% would produce a fee of £6, the minimum fee is an effective rate of 19%. This is more than six times the rate being paid by large concert halls or festivals".

He continues: "£38 may seem like an inconsequential amount, but across over 400 venues of this type in the UK, putting on over 80,000 shows per annum, the minimum fee is removing hundreds of thousands of pounds every year from the venues on this circuit. This money would not be due if PRS For Music applied an equitable rate of 3% across the board. [And] all too often, that money simply doesn't exist".

The minimum rate in the Tariff LP licence was originally set at £15 by the copyright tribunal in 1988, with a mechanism to allow it to increase inline with inflation each year. Though PRS is already reviewing its main gigs and concerts licence as it is, and Davyd concedes that his organisation has been inputting into that review.

However, he notes: "We have been asking PRS For Music to take urgent action on minimum fee since March 2015, and it is now eighteen months later. We have clearly explained this situation to PRS For Music, [but] their response is to wait for the outcome of the Tariff LP review. That outcome is at least nine months away, nine more months in which these venues will continue to pay significantly more money than is due".

Ramping up the drama for his conclusion, Davyd then writes: "It is not an exaggeration to say that PRS For Music's refusal to act on minimum fee will be a contributing factor to venue closures during that nine months. We don't believe that writers, publishers or performers would find it acceptable that a music venue closes because it cannot meet the economic demands of minimum fee".

And finally, noting that many artists and songwriters have already reached out to ask how they can support the struggling grass roots venues sector, David says: "As a matter of urgency, unilaterally ending the collection of minimum fee and replacing it with the collection of 3% would have significant impact".

US Register Of Copyrights Maria Pallante abruptly axed
Maria Pallante has been somewhat abruptly axed from the position of Register Of Copyrights, the post that oversees the Copyright Office in the US. Pallante was seemingly sacked on Friday by Carla Hayden, the Librarian Of Congress, who oversees America's Copyright Office, which in turn sits under the Library Of Congress for historic reasons.

Although the Register Of Copyrights doesn't have much actual power over intellectual property policy, it is nevertheless an influential role, with Congress often looking to whoever is in that job for guidance on copyright issues.

Pallante has been given a new role within the Library Of Congress, as a senior adviser on digital strategy, but it's not clear exactly what that means. Meanwhile the current Associate Register Of Copyrights, Karyn Temple Claggett, will take on Pallante's former role on an interim basis.

According to Billboard, many lawyers and lobbyists in Washington have expressed surprise at Pallante's sudden exit from the Register role, and are angry about the way the change in personnel was handled. Meanwhile others have expressed concern as to whom might be her successor, Pallante having generally been popular within the creator and copyright communities.

Time Out acquires YPlan
Time Out has acquired ticketing app YPlan. The deal is worth £1.6 million, rising to £2.4 million after twelve months if certain conditions are met. Which might sound good, except that the ticketing start-up previously raised over £30 million in venture capital finance.

"Developing ecommerce and monetising our audience is an important element of our ambitious growth strategy", says Julio Bruno, Time Out Group CEO. "We acquired YPlan because its advanced technology will significantly accelerate this strategy. It will enable us to offer our large audience more online booking opportunities, whilst improving the user experience".

There is a logic to Time Out acquiring YPlan, despite its new asset being a loss-making concern. The Time Out business itself is pursuing that "ambitious growth strategy" having floated on the AIM stock exchange in London back in June.

The YPlan app allows people to book tickets for events happening that day, and will seemingly continue to operate as a standalone operation for the time being.

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Ontario planning tout-bot ban
Following proposals by British MP Nigel Adams last week to outlaw ticket touting bots via the in-development Digital Economy Bill, the Attorney General of the Canadian province of Ontario has announced similar measures.

According to the Toronto Star, Attorney General Yasir Naqvi says he will introduce anti-tout-bot legislation next spring. As much previously reported, the so called bots are simply software that enable touts to hoover up large quantities of tickets off primary sites to be resold on the secondary market. Such technology allows touts to buy up tickets from primary sellers faster than actual fans.

Cracking down on bot usage is the one bit of secondary ticketing regulation that the secondary ticketing sites themselves generally support. Though there are both enforcement and jurisdiction issues with such measures – who actually goes after the bot users, and how do you pursue action against individuals who are actually using the bots in other countries.

Naqvi conceded that there were challenges, while also noting anti-bot efforts in both the UK and New York. But, according to The Star, he says that while tackling ticket touting is tricky, that doesn't mean inaction is an option either. He said that he will build on existing proposals put forward by politician Sophie Kiwala in the Ontario parliament, and that he is keen to work out "what kind of solutions we can put in place".

BBC and Jazz FM partner on pop-up station during London Jazz Festival again
The BBC's pop-up jazz radio station, BBC Music Jazz, a collaboration with commercial station Jazz FM, will return from 10 Nov to 14 Nov during the London Jazz Festival, on digital, online and on the iPlayer Radio app.

Over its four days on air there will be live performances from the London festival plus an assortment of new and archive shows, including programmes presented by celebrity guests like Cerys Matthews, Colin Murray, Craig Charles, Hardeep Singh Kohli and that Will Young.

On his involvement, Young says: "I am a jazz singer at heart. Jazz is that simple connection with the audience, saying 'here have a listen and see what you think', so it was the biggest treat to spend an hour sharing some of my favourite jazz artists on the airwaves for the BBC Music Jazz pop-up - I felt really privileged to be asked. I hope everyone enjoys the pop-up, I know I'll be tuning in!"

The full schedule for the pop-up jazztastic radio station is here, as a PDF no less.

Dave Cash dies
The radio industry has been paying tribute to DJ Dave Cash who has died aged 74. Cash enjoyed a long career in radio, and was one of the first DJs on BBC Radio 1 alongside the likes of Tony Blackburn and John Peel.

He also spent more than two decades at Capital Radio, another station he joined at the outset. There he rejoined radio legend Kenny Everett on air, the duo having co-presented shows on pirate radio earlier in their careers. In 1999 he joined BBC Radio Kent, where he continued to broadcast until his death, with recent shows also airing on other local BBC stations in the south of England.

Amongst those paying tribute this weekend were Blackburn, who told the BBC: "He was a very, very nice guy. His shows were very entertaining and as a person he was very warm, very good company to be with. I enjoyed his company immensely".

Sony promises new Kesha music "soon"
Sony Music has told BuzzFeed that it hopes to release new music from Kesha "soon", though creating quality music takes time, people.

The statement from the major comes alongside comments from the singer's lawyer who complains that the record company has been slow going in helping his client get new material to fans.

Kesha's career has basically been on hold, of course, as a result of her multi-layered legal battle with former collaborator Dr Luke. She is signed to various companies controlled by the record producer, including his Sony Music imprint Kemosabe.

Kesha tried to get out of her contractual commitments to the Sony label, at least while her legal battle with Luke was ongoing, but a judge refused to allow that to happen, partly because Sony insisted that it had offered to allow Kesha to work with another producer and a different division of the music company.

The singer's legal representatives initially rejected that offer, but then it seemed that she was nevertheless making new music again. And then she appeared on Zedd single 'True Colors'.

But her current attorney Daniel Petrocelli recently told BuzzFeed News: "Kesha has been trying for six months to record and release new music. Only in the last month, after our last court hearing, has any progress been made, but it is hardly enough. Kesha still has received no commitments on promotion, songs, or even a release date".

He went on: "We hope things turn around fast. Meanwhile, Kesha intends to continue participating in the creative process in the hopes she can meaningfully return to work".

For their part, a Sony rep then told the website: "Creating a new album takes time, and everyone's goal is to deliver a high quality album consistent with Kesha's past releases. We hope to share exciting new music with Kesha's fans soon".

So, there you go. Expect new Kesha soon. No sooner than soon, but soon.

Austra announce third album, Future Politics
Austra have announced their third album, 'Future Politics', a record that calls for "a commitment to replace the approaching dystopia". And I think we can all agree that sounds like a nice idea.

Explains vocalist and songwriter Katie Stelmanis, she's looking for "not just hope in the future, but the idea that everyone is required to help write it, and the boundaries of what it can look like are both fascinating and endless". "It's not about 'being political'", she adds, "It's about reaching beyond boundaries, in every single field".

The announcement of the release of the album on 20 Jan is accompanied by the video for first single 'Utopia'.

Confirming Stelmanis' commitment to changing everything, its director, That Go, says: "Katie came into the video project with a lot of ideas about the future. We discussed everything from food trends to 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. The video is more near-future than distant-future, with recognisable technology and modern protein sources".

Watch here.

Robin Schulz, Natasha Bent, Justice

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• BMG is "very pleased" to have signed a worldwide publishing deal with German DJ and producer Robin Schulz. It's also signed his songwriting and producing crew Junkx. For his part, Schulz "couldn't be happier". Well done everybody.

• Booking agent Natasha Bent is departing UTA to join rival agency Coda, according to Music Week.

• Justice have released a new single, 'Alakazam!'

• Rebecca & Fiona have released new single 'Shotgun'. Their new EP, 'Party Hard', is out on 4 Nov.

• Honeyblood have released the video for new single 'Sea Hearts'. It's right spooky.

• Following on from her excellent debut single, 'Vienna', Roch has released new track 'This Is Now'.

• Ariana Grande will be touring the UK in May next year, including a show at the O2 Arena on 25 May. Tickets go on sale on Friday.

• Take That have announced some wonderful shindigs especially for fans of wonderful shindigs that involve Take That. The shindigs will occur next May and June. And there will be three shindiggers on stage in total. Plus some All Saints. For fans of wonderful shindigs that not only involve Take That but also some All Saints.

Kanye to boycott Grammys if Frank Ocean not nominated
If the Grammys don't nominate Frank Ocean's 'Blond(e)' for an award, Kanye West has promised not to attend the event next year. So, that seems like a simple equation.

It was reported last week that reps for Ocean had failed to log either of his recent new long players - the Universal released 'Endless' or his main new record, the self-released 'Blond(e)' - for the next round of Grammy Awards, meaning they won't be eligible for any nominations.

But at a gig this weekend, West - who, you might remember, generally has strong opinions on who deserves awards and who doesn't - demanded Ocean at least be shortlisted for a Grammy gong or two.

According to the NME, he told his audience: "The album I listen to the most this year is Frank Ocean's album. I'll tell you this right now: If his album's not nominated in no categories, I'm not showing up to the Grammys".

Of course, there's a slightly confusing double negative in there that provides a neat get out for West should Ocean not get shortlisted but he decides he still likes the idea of a free feed at the US industry's annual back-slapping bash.