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Wanted: New member for the Distribution and Works Committee

Wanted: New member for the Distribution and Works Committee
Bang in the midst of it rather than watching from the sidelines – SUISA is looking for a member that holds voting and election rights willing to co-design the distribution of collections in the Distribution and Works Committee.
Photo: Manu Leuenberger
Text by Irène Philipp Ziebold
Due to a mid-term resignation, a seat on SUISA’s Distribution and Works Committee needs to be filled. We are looking for a SUISA member who is a publisher, active in the rock/pop, jazz or electronic genre and originates from the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

SUISA authors and publishers have the opportunity as members of the Distribution and Works Committee (VWK) to directly shape the distribution of the collections arising from works usage. The Distribution Regulations are the authoritative documentation governing the issue of who ultimately gets how much money and for which usage of their works. The Distribution Regulations are also the centre of attraction of the meetings of the VWK which takes place twice a year, where VWK members are presented with any pending changes in the rules for discussion and co-determination. The final resolution regarding the respective change shall be made by the Board.

Music genres, regions, authors and publishers – it’s all in the mix

Based on the above mentioned criteria regarding the search of a successor for the member that has stepped down, the goal is to ensure that the VWK’s composition is as balanced as possible in future since this is a central point for its work. In the Committee, there are thus many different music genres as well as all linguistic regions of Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein that must be represented. Furthermore, the VWK must consist of composers, music publishers as well as lyricists. Finally, the Committee should also exhibit the best possible mix regarding age and gender.

Further requirements for becoming a member of the VWK

Only SUISA members who hold a right to vote and elect can be appointed into the Committee. The (future) VWK member must – apart from the direct relationship to music – understand the effect of current decisions on the future. Members of the VWK may therefore not just focus on their own business areas, but must represent the interests of all authors and publishers. After all, being a Committee member takes time: The meetings of the VWK do take up a whole day (2x per annum) – including travel time and joint lunch. Members are also required to prepare accordingly for the meetings; this includes reading comprehensive and exhaustive materials which are provided in the run-up of the meeting.

Tasks of the distribution and works committee

A maximum of 22 members make up the VWK; they are elected for a term of four years by the General Assembly. The selection of the candidates proposed for election will be made by the Board. A re-election is limited to three terms in office.

The VWK fulfils the following tasks as per the SUISA Articles of Association by

  • checking the provisions of the Distribution Regulations and their implications on distribution proceeds;
  • proposing amendments to the Distribution Regulations to the Board;
  • as a first instance, handling appeals against Executive Committee decisions on the classification of broadcasting programmes, copyrightability of works and arrangement of non-protected works;
  • in an advisory capacity, evaluating unauthorised adaptations of protected works and cases of plagiarism.

The VWK is a Committee of the SUISA General Assembly. In other words: The General Assembly may allocate additional tasks to the Committee.

Candidate entries

Since the by-elections take place during the SUISA General Assembly on 22 June 2018 and the preparatory process does take up some time, we kindly ask interested candidates to send their application no later than Monday, 26 March 2018 to the following address:

SUISA, Stephanie Fikatas, Bellariastrasse 82, 8038 Zurich
E-mail: stephanie.fikatas (at) suisa (dot) ch

For further information please contact Mrs. Irène Philipp Ziebold, Director of Member Services and Distribution (Phone: +41 44 485 68 00).

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