The fee for using music in gyms

Back in May, the Copyright Tribunal bumped up the fee payable for using recorded music in gym classes to $15 a class or $1 per attendee.

The Full Court has an allowed an “appeal” from that decision on the grounds of denial of natural justice. In setting the rate, the Tribunal had rejected the market survey relied on by the applicants, but had used the ‘rough and ready’ “pilot”. When the applicants opened the case, however, they expressly disavowed reliance on that first “pilot”. The subsequent evidence of the gym clubs referring to the survey was not sufficient to make it part of the case.

In short, the Full Court’s ruling does not affect principle (at least in terms of how much to pay); it is “procedural”, requiring the Tribunal to set the rate based on the material before it.

Fitness Australia Ltd v Copyright Tribunal [2010] FCAFC 148

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