PRS For Music has partnered with Orfium, a music rights and metadata management software platform.
This new partnership expands PRS’s licensing coverage to music users based in Africa, providing access to tens of millions of works.
Comprehensive coverage provided by Orfium will extend to public performances (including live events), radio and cable TV, as well as local and certain multinational online services.
Orfium will license the PRS For Music repertoire and provide the underlying technology infrastructure used to serve these markets. This relationship leverages the proprietary software platform built by Orfium, and is expected to drive cost efficiencies for PRS.
In addition, the agreement will expand the global reach of PRS For Music’s Major Live Concert Service, the royalty collection service for large concerts, which will now be available for events held across Africa.
The partnership with Orfium will sit alongside the existing agreement with SAMRO, the collecting society based in South Africa, and provide the framework for PRS members to be paid when their works are used in some of the world's fastest-growing music markets.
“The African music market is rapidly progressing, driven by a burgeoning homegrown music scene and a new generation of talented music creators,” said Sami Valkonen, PRS for Music’s chief international business officer. “Orfium has both the expertise and tools necessary to ensure that songwriters, composers and publishers are paid when their music is being used across the African continent. This agreement was designed to be flexible, ensuring it can adapt and offer innovative solutions in markets where we are experiencing considerable change and growth.”
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with PRS for Music,” said Rob Wells, CEO, Orfium. “Orfium exists to support and improve the global entertainment ecosystem so that creators everywhere can be paid fairly for their work. Over the last three years, we have invested heavily in building a state-of-the-art rights management platform to support our partners in the licensing and remuneration of music rights in the entertainment industry. Orfium looks forward to working with PRS as their trusted partner to support this incredible region and contributing to Africa’s future as a high-growth music market.”
PRS For Music has agreements in more than 100 countries, as well as international teams in more than 10 countries.
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