This document discusses legal and ethical considerations for print media products in the music industry. It provides definitions for key terms like copyright, slander, libel, and royalties and how they impact print products. It also lists several regulatory bodies in the UK music industry like BASCA, MPA, PRS, OFCOM, PPL, BPI, Songrite UK, and UK Music. It describes what each organization aims to do and how their regulations would impact print work promoting artists.

1. Learning outcome 2: Tasks D and E
Note from the exam board
When considering legal and ethical issues candidates should refer to the code of
practice for the regulatory body, which affects the production of print media (in our
case – the music industry).
Work could be evidenced in written format, letters to relevant bodies or online
requests applying for copyright permission. It is important that learners relate the
relevant legal and ethical issue to the print product they are producing, for instance
when considering the photos/images and language for inclusion in a print product
such as a magazine etc.
Students aiming for merit or distinction would present all of their research in a
more creative manner such as prezi, powtoom, emaze etc and use images,
videos and hyperlinks to enhance their work.
D - Legal and Ethical Considerations
Find out/define the below terms and tell us how this might have an impact on
your print products.
How this effects my print product?
Copyright/intellectual property rights Copyright is a legalright, existing inmany countries,that grants
the creatorofan original work exclusive rights to determine
whether,andunderwhat conditions, this originalworkmay be
used by others. I haveto makesuremy artist's products are
copyrighted so no one canduplicatethem.
Slander/libel Also know n as defamation. Defamation may be a criminal or
civil charge. It encompasses both w ritten statements, known
as libel, and spoken statements, called slander.
Royalties A sum paid to a patentee for the use of a patent or to an
author or composer for each public performance of a w ork.
Violence Also know n as graphic Violence. E.g. w hen my artist has a
w ound on his hand, than it’s mostly draw , but that’s not
important for my artist, because my artist should show a
really happy person, w ho don’t have any problems.
Offensive language/behaviour/material The artist's behavior must appeal to people. If there is an
artist w ho does not w ant to do anything, people notice that
and do not buy the product or do not like the artist.
Public interest The public must have an interest on the artist, because if not
the artist has no chance against all the other artists. So I
have to make an interest album cover to make my artist
interesting.
E - Regulatory Bodies in the Music Industry
The music industry is mostly a self-regulated organisation. But just as any other
industry it must have regulators to protect all the people involved in the production
and realisation of a song, cd, a concert etc. (copyright, trade, music representation).
The most important are listed below. Although all these companies have different
aims the vision is the same, keep the music industry alive. However, the fact that
technology is evolving so fast, makes it even harder for them to protect every single
detail.
Research the following organisations and find out what they aim to do. Think
about how their regulations would impact on your print work.

2. Who are they and
what do they do?
What impact this
organisation would
have on my print
product?
BASCA
British Academy of Songwriters,
Composers and Authors
https://basca.org.uk/home/
They protect and campaign for
the interests of song righters,
lyricists and composers. From
legislation to safeguarding of
revenue streams; fromprotection
of collective management to
action against piracy; from
fairness of contractsto fighting
coercive commissioning.
They w ould help to protect
my artist against any privacy
or safeguarding issues.
MPA
Music Publishers Association
http://www.mpaonline.org.uk
The MPA represents the full
diversity of the UK’s music
publishing sector.
The MPA w ould help to
publish my artists’music and
make sure it’s all done
properly.
PRS
Performing Rights Society (who are
now linked with MCPS – The
Mechanical Copyright Protection
Society)
https://www.prsformusic.com/
They pay royalties toour members
when theirworkis performed,
broadcast, streamed, downloaded,
reproduced,played in public orused
in film and TV. They support them
by influencing policy,supporting and
hosting awards.
They w illmake sure that
money is paid to make sure
my artists’rights are
preserved.
OFCOM
Office of Communications
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/
OFCOMis the communications
regulator in the UK. Theyregulate
the TV, radio andvideo –on -
demand sectors, fixed-line
telecoms, mobiles andpostal
services, plus theairwaves over
which wireless devices operate.
They take care of
communications and make
sure they are running w ellso
that music can be played on
the radio or television.
PPL
Phonographic Performance Limited
http://www.ppluk.com/
PPL exists to ensurethatthosewho
invest their time, talent and money
to make recordedmusic arefairly
paid for their work. PPL licenses
recordedmusicplayedin public or
broadcast and thendistributes the
licencefees toits performer and
recording rights holdermembers.
They w illensure that the
music my artist makes w illnot
be used w ithout a license,
w hen used with a license
some of the fees w illgo to my
artist.
BPI
British Phonographic Industry
https://www.bpi.co.uk/default.aspx
BPI represents theUK’s recorded
music industry, BPIco –owns. The
Official Charts ina joint venturewith
the EntertainmentRetailers
Association(ERA).
They w ould help to promote
my artist music through
adverts, carts etc.
Songrite UK
Songright Copyright Office
http://www.songrite.co.uk/index.html
It offers a secureand ultra -
reliable copyright registration on
service which is unrivalled in
quality and value.
They w illpermit my artist the
right to securely deposit
copies of their w orkas legal
evidence to audience their
Claim of copyright ow nership.
UK Music
(umbrella company linked with
many of the above)
http://www.ukmusic.org/about/
Through collective representation
UK Music promotes the interests
of record labels and music
publishers (major and
independent), songw riters,
composers, lyricists, musicians,
etc.
The UK music company
w ould represent my artist and
promote them.