Celebrating 30 Years of AMCOS
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Thirty years on and the AMCOS business is still alive and thriving. AMCOS continues to tackle challenges head on, and is constantly adapting to proactively protect the rights of its members.
Following the AGM, APRA|AMCOS staff and AGM attendee’s celebrated this significant milestone at a function held in the APRA|AMCOS head quarters. In attendance were key figures from AMCOS’s past, including John Sturman (past CEO), Colin Marks and Bill Fleming, as well as past and present members of the APRA | AMCOS Board and associates.
The Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) was established in 1979 to license and collect royalties for the mechanical reproductions of its members works. In the late 70s, vinyl records were at the peak of their popularity, audio tapes on the rise, and the invention of the CD was looming. The formation of AMCOS was evidence of a definite need to protect the rights of copyright owners in the mechanical reproduction of their music.
As sales of CDs peaked during the 90s - and with one eye on the impending online recorded music revolution - the AMCOS Board recognised the need for more resources to manage their operations. So in 1997 the Board appointed APRA to manage its day-to-day operations – whilst still maintaining a separate identity and board of directors. In spite of the seismic changes to the music industry in recent years, AMCOS has continued to perform strongly in terms of revenue collection and service to members as it has moved into new licensing areas and accepted writers as members. In the 2009 financial year, collections were $48 million, up from $18 million ten years ago.
With the business broadening across all sectors, the need for mechanical rights administration has never been so relevant. Thirty years young and still growing - Happy Birthday AMCOS.
PHOTO (L-R): Mike Perjanik (APRA Chairman), John Sturman (past CEO), Brett Cottle (APRA|AMCOS CEO), Colin Marks, Ian James (AMCOS Chairman)
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