SOCAN Commercial Radio Tariff 2014–2018

Summary#

SOCAN Tariff 1.A – Commercial Radio (2014-2018) is a tariff published by the Copyright Board on May 31, 2025 that sets the fees and reporting rules for commercial radio stations that broadcast music in SOCAN’s repertoire. In practice, it specifies how much stations must pay, what records they must keep, and how SOCAN may audit and use that information.

What it does#

• Sets royalty rates for over‑the‑air commercial radio broadcasts of works in SOCAN’s repertoire:
  • 1.5% of annual gross income for a “low‑use” station (one that broadcasts SOCAN works less than 20% of its time).
  • 3.2% on the first $1.25 million of gross income in a year, and 4.4% on amounts above that, for other stations.
• Defines "gross income" and what counts or does not count toward it (for example, some production contracts and certain third‑party program production are excluded).
• Requires monthly payments and reporting:
  • Stations must pay royalties and report by the first day of each month for a specified “reference month” (the tariff defines the reference month as the second month before the month being paid).
  • Stations must provide sequential lists of every musical work and sound recording broadcast each day (full music use reporting for 365 days per year).
  • The reports should include detailed metadata where available (examples: title, author/composer, performers, duration, Universal Product Code (UPC), International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)).
• Recordkeeping and audits:
  • Stations must keep records enabling verification for six months (repertoire use) and six years (gross income).
  • SOCAN may audit those records; if an audit finds royalties understated by more than 10%, the station must pay the reasonable audit costs.
• Confidentiality and data sharing:
  • Information supplied by stations is treated as confidential but may be shared with other approved collective societies, service providers, the Copyright Board, or as required by law.
• Late payments bear interest at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank of Canada Rate (calculated daily, non‑compounding).

Who's affected#

• Commercial radio stations in Canada that broadcast music in SOCAN’s repertoire.
• Specifically named groups in the tariff: low‑use stations (those broadcasting SOCAN works less than 20% of the time).
• SOCAN (the collecting society that receives the payments and processes reports).
• The source does not explicitly list other parties, but the rules will be most relevant to station managers, bookkeeping staff, and any third‑party service providers who prepare music logs or handle payments.

Why it matters#

• The tariff sets clear percentages and thresholds that affect a station’s monthly costs for playing music in SOCAN’s repertoire.
• It creates a detailed reporting and recordkeeping burden (daily sequential lists and long retention periods), which can increase administrative work and costs for stations.
• Audits and penalties (including audit cost recovery and interest on late payments) raise the stakes for accurate reporting.
• Because the tariff covers the 2014–2018 period, stations and their accountants may need to review past records for that timeframe; the Gazette notice itself does not explain any enforcement or retroactive payment procedures beyond the tariff text.