Season's Greetings

APRA|AMCOS wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

All our offices will close on Friday 21 December 2007. We'll be back on deck on Wednesday 2 January 2008.

Bytes will be back in February with all the latest news; including updates on Song Summit Sydney, 2008 APRA Music Awards and much, much more!

S³ NEWS: Grants for WA & VIC Songwriters

WA: The Department of Culture and the Arts is offering $1,000 Quick Response grants for 10 lucky West Australian songwriters who wish to attend Song Summit Sydney (S³) between 3 -5 April 2008 as a delegate.

The grant money will be a contribution toward registration fees, airfares and accommodation. The Contemporary Music Panel will assess all applications and 10 applicants will be chosen. Please find the application form attached.

Applications are due to the Department of Culture and the Arts by 5pm Friday 28th December 2007. Please post or hand deliver applications (no emailed applications). Please call Renee Zaffino if you are interested in applying on (08) 9224 7318 or email at renee.zaffino@dca.wa.gov.au

VIC: The Victorian Government has thrown its support behind a strategic music industry partnership with APRA to establish the S³ Scholarship, announced today by Minister for the Arts, Lynne Kosky. Ten Victorian songwriters, including five Indigenous artists, will have the opportunity to attend Song Summit Sydney in April 2008.

2007 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards

Sydney hosted a stunning ceremony to celebrate the 2007 APRA – AGSC Screen Music Awards at the City Recital Hall on November 27.

The unstoppable HG Nelson proved himself to be an MC extraordinaire while musical director Paul Grabowsky provided beautifully orchestrated renditions of some of the nominated works throughout the Ceremony.

Nigel Westlake collected an impressive three Awards this year including his fifth award for Feature Film Score of the Year. The Wiggles continue to have substantial success overseas, this year winning both the Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas and the 2007 International Achievement Award.

> Full List of Winners
> Photo Gallery

Underscore: unique opportunity for young screen composers

APRA / ABC jtv launch Underscore: a unique opportunity for talented, young screen composers. APRA and ABC jtv are proud to present Underscore – a joint initiative that aims to encourage the work of young, emerging screen music writers and to raise public awareness of the art and value of screen composing.

Composers are invited to score music for two pieces of footage: the opening titles sequence for a fictional youth entertainment program entitled Blunt! and a clip from The Silence, a Jan Chapman Films Production produced in association with the ABC, FFC, NSW FTO and with the assistance of Ovation... read more>

Special Deals for APRA Members!

Dust off your APRA Member Benefits Card! Check out these great deals on software and hardware - especially for APRA members.

Ethan Group: Christmas Specials for APRA Members
MacBook Pro Christmas Bundle: RRP $3198, now $2733.50 exclusively for APRA Members (save $464.50!) Specs: 2.2 RAM:2Gb HDD:120 Mon:15.4" + 3 Year Onsite Warranty

The Ethan Group has just launched a special website, exclusively for APRA members listing all their special offers on computer hardware and software including this MacBook Pro deal. Keep your APRA Membership Number handy to complete your registration. Register now and view more special deals .

Digidesign: 15% discount off RRP for Pro Tools LE products
APRA is pleased to announce its new partnership with Digidesign. From now until 31st March 2008, all APRA members will be eligible for a 15% discount on all Digidesign LE software and hardware products. Please note that this discount applies to full priced LE products only (existing discounts, exchanges other specials and non-LE products do not apply). APRA members must produce their membership card/identification to their local authorised Digidesign dealer to receive the discount. For more information, visit www.digidesign.com.

Online Reference for Digital Music Services.

Update from Richard Mallett, Director Recordings & Online

APRA|AMCOS have filed a new scheme for digital music services (commonly called digital download services) in the Copyright Tribunal to provide a combined APRA|AMCOS tariff of 12% of retail price or relevant gross revenue (ex-GST), as the case may be. The respondents in the case (Apple, Destra, Hutchison, RCS (Musicpoint), SonyBMG & Universal, Telstra and the ACCC) have now all filed their statement of points in reply.

Our next return date in the Tribunal is on 7 February, although we do not expect that the Tribunal will hear the matter until some time late in 2008 at the earliest. As previously mentioned, licensees will continue to pay at their existing rates until the Tribunal makes its determination.

Songwriter Speaks @ Tamworth 2008

"The APRA Country Music Stage at The Rocks, Australia Day 07 was a blast! I can't wait to join Felicity, Travis and Paul on stage again at Tamworth for an APRA Songwriter Speaks!"
James Blundell

APRA is proud to present a Songwriter Speaks workshop with country music artists: James Blundell, Felicity Urquhart, Paul Greene and Travis Collins.

Where: Family Hotel, (Doms Honky Tonk Room), Cnr Bridge & Belmore St
When: Friday 25 January 2008, 12pm - 3pm
RSVP: By 18 January 2008 to Milly Petriella milly@apra.com.au or (02) 9935 7968

FREE for APRA Members. RSVP Essential

Falls Festival: People's Stage

APRA have put out the call to Falls Festival punters who might want to do a set on the APRA People's Stage at this years Falls Festival in Lorne, Victoria & Marion Bay Tasmania. Musicians, comedians, poets, street performers it's on for young and old, all are welcome!

The APRA People's Stage is a concept of providing unknown musicians the opportunity to perform at the Falls Festival. The APRA People's stage has been a feature at the Lorne Falls Festival for the past six years and now in its third year at Marion Bay.

Adam Cousens is a local talent bound for international recognition. Adam played the APRA People's Stage at The Falls Festival, Marion Bay in 2005 and 2006. This year he has graduated to the Main Stage. Adam spends 5 minutes "In the Hotseat" with Con Kalamaras, APRA Writer Services Representative VIC/TAS...read more>

The Falls Music & Arts Festival: 29 November 2007 - 1 January 2008

Pat Pattison Songwriting Workshops: January 2008

Do you want to write songs that connect with an audience? Do you have a pile of unfinished songs or feel full of ideas that you want communicated with their full potency? Get the New Year started with practical tools and inspiration from song writing expert and insightful teacher, Pat Pattison. Take your songs to the next level:

Melbourne: January 5 & 6, 10am-4pm, JMC Academy 171 Bank St, Sth Melbourne
Sydney: January 19 & 20, 10am-4pm, JMC Academy, 41 Holt St, Surry Hills
Byron Bay: January 12 & 13, 10am-4pm, Southern Cross University, 69 Jonson St

Individual songs will be critiqued, time permitting, in order of registration. So REGISTER NOW! Cost $200 per person - DISCOUNT APPLIES FOR APRA MEMBERS.

For more information and how to register visit www.cmcproductions.com.au or call 0417 049 616.

Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct 2007: Report
The fifth annual report of the Code Reviewer, JCS Burchett QC, assessing the compliance with the Code of Conduct of eight societies including APRA and AMCOS is now available. The Code Reviewer noted in this year's report the extraordinary volume of contacts that APRA & AMCOS have with their members and licensees, and the very small number of complaints received. The latter were handled promptly and with a "commitment to the observance of the Code and to its purpose." Read full PDF report>

2008: Review of Code of Conduct
APRA & AMCOS members and licensees are invited to a meeting on 4 February 2008 held by the Code Reviewer in respect of the Code of Conduct of Collecting Societies. Download PDF>

BYTES is published by APRA|AMCOS.

Telephone: (02) 9935 7900. Fax: (02) 9935 7999
Web: www.apra.com.au
Editor: Anthea Sarris.
Any comments, please email comms@apra.com.au