Pension benefits for authors and publishers
Cost-of-living adjustment for authorsʼ pensions
Through the Pension Fund for Authors and Publishers and the annual contributions to pension fund assets, SUISA fulfils a social …
Category: Good to know
Challenges
Artificial intelligence and copyright law
Artificial intelligence is undeniably a source of innovative opportunities. Technology is progressing at lightning speed, raising issues specifically for copyright …
Work registration
Why are there provisional works in my works database?
Time and again, works are performed, broadcast or reproduced before they have been registered with SUISA. Such works are stored …
Distribution Rules
New definition of publisher in the Distribution Rules – what does this mean?
Until recently, the Distribution Rules defined publishers as ‘natural or legal persons who have acquired publishing rights for a work, …
Music in video games
Music in video games: Licensing and Addendum to Rights Administration Agreement
What is a video game without sound? Video games are hard to imagine without music. Many games become huge hits …
Non-theatrical or dramatico-musical
Small rights and grand rights: who does what?
If there is one matter that regularly triggers heated debate, it is the distinction between small rights and grand rights. …
Online revenues
Residuals from online collections – what’s that and how can I participate in them?
In mid-December, we pay our members the fourth settlement of their online revenues this year. But this time, we’ll put …
plus video
“My account”
The Royalty Report is online
News about “My account”: Thanks to user-friendly graphics, the Royalty Report provides a quick overview of how the copyright royalties …
Social insurances
Are royalties subject to social security (AHV/AVS) contributions?
Do royalties qualify as earnings from self-employment? Swiss AHV/AVS compensation offices follow different practices.
How private copying produces revenue – distribution of blank media levies
Nowadays, the lion’s share of private copying is done from the internet rather than from CDs as in the heyday …
Legal consequences of concert cancellations for Covid-19
Regrettably, owing to the coronavirus, some musical events have had to be cancelled. What are the consequences of such cancellations …
Online licensing activities require early work registrations
From a sales perspective, online music distribution provides enormous opportunities. With little effort, music can be made available to a …
Information on live streams for SUISA members
The corona measures led to a loss of performance and earning opportunities for music creators and to a painful loss …
The Artist’s Agreement compared with the Publishing Agreement
The economic producer (a label, for example) finances the production of sound recordings containing performances by p artists with the …
Setting to music
Whether they write choir music or a pop-song, composers are often inspired by an existing text which they want to …
Changes in distribution for Common Tariff K and Z revenues
The CHF 20 limit for the distribution of revenues under Common Tariffs K (concerts) and Z (circuses) has been eliminated. …
Specific forms of arrangement
Sampling and Remixes
The articles about arrangements in the “Good to know” series have so far focused on “conventional” arrangements of musical works. …
Arranging works protected by copyright
Musical works in the public domain can be arranged at will. But works which are still protected by copyright, i.e. …
Changes in the distribution of revenues from radio uses
The classifications for radio broadcasting stations have been changed. Starting with the 2019 settlements, a uniform factor of 0.25 will …
Arrangement of works in the public domain
Before you start arranging musical works that are not protected by copyright, it is worth being aware of the legal …
Why SUISA members should also consider joining SWISSPERFORM
Composers and lyricists who are SUISA members and are also active as artists and/or producers and whose performances are broadcast …