Sweden

[SE] Settlement between TV4 and the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM)

IRIS 1997-9:1/28

Ad van Loon

European Audiovisual Observatory

TV4 On 1 July 1997, and the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM) reached agreement on fees payable for musical performances broadcast by TV4.

The agreement covers the entire period from TV4' s inception in September 1990 and runs until the end of 2001.

The fee issue has been a hard nut to crack and has led to a number of legal disputes. On the basis of the new model, fees due will be calculated on the basis of TV4 's advertising revenue minus the broadcasting licence fee and sales overheads. This calculation method made the agreement commercially acceptable for TV4.

TV4 will incur a one-off cost of approximately SEK 5 million for the period 1990-1996 in addition to the provision made in the accounts. Fees payable under the new agreement will involve some extra cost in 1997 and later years.