Whether you are a business, an association or an individual, creating a web radio station may require you to comply with various regulations and copyright requirements. Depending on your web radio station’s revenue, you will need to register with the CSA and obtain authorization from SACEM for copyright. You will also need to register with SPRÉ for the related rights of performers and producers. These organizations are essential to broadcasting commercial music legally on your web radio station in France.
Do I need authorization to create a web radio station?
If you plan to create a web radio station, you may be wondering whether you need authorization. The answer mainly depends on the revenue your station generates. Under French law, if your revenue is below a certain threshold, you simply need to register with the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA). If your revenue exceeds that threshold, however, you must sign an agreement with the CSA authorizing you to broadcast. You should therefore consider your projected revenue when determining whether you need authorization.
In addition to CSA authorization, you will need copyright authorization if you want to broadcast commercial music on your web radio station. You must therefore contact the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SACEM) and obtain its authorization. SACEM manages the copyright of music authors, composers and publishers in France. Respecting these rights is essential to broadcasting commercial music legally.
In summary, if you plan to create a web radio station, you must register with the CSA and obtain authorization if your revenue exceeds a certain threshold. If you want to broadcast commercial music, you must also obtain authorization from SACEM to respect copyright. By following these steps, you can create and broadcast your web radio station legally.
Which organizations should I contact to broadcast a web radio station legally and respect copyright?
To broadcast commercial music legally on your web radio station in France, you must contact three essential organizations: SACEM (Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique), SPRÉ (Société pour la perception de la rémunération équitable) and the CSA (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel).
SACEM is responsible for managing copyright. It collects royalties from music users and distributes them to creators and publishers to pay them for their work. To broadcast music from the repertoire managed by SACEM on your web radio station, you must obtain authorization and pay a fee based on your station’s revenue and type of broadcasting.
SPRÉ, meanwhile, manages the related rights of performers and record producers. Since December 1, 2019, a simple declaration to SPRÉ has been sufficient to gain access to the entire recorded-music repertoire. You must log in to the SPRÉ portal to declare your web radio station and pay equitable remuneration to respect related rights.
| Organization | Role |
|---|---|
| SACEM | Management of the copyright of music authors, composers and publishers |
| SPRÉ | Management of the related rights of performers and record producers |
| CSA | French audiovisual regulator |
The CSA is the French audiovisual regulator. It is responsible for ensuring compliance with the rules governing audiovisual communication in France. To broadcast a web radio station legally, it is important to comply with CSA regulations.
What is SACEM’s role?
SACEM, or the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique, plays a major role in managing copyright in France. This private nonprofit organization collects royalties from music users and distributes them to creators and publishers to pay them for their work. SACEM thus helps artists earn a living from their creations and continue producing quality music.
As the creator of a web radio station, you should contact SACEM to obtain authorization and pay a fee in order to respect creators’ copyright. SACEM’s rates vary according to your station’s revenue and type of broadcasting. You should therefore assess your business model carefully and choose the plan that best suits your activity.
SACEM plays an essential role in the music industry by protecting creators’ rights and ensuring that they are paid fairly. By complying with regulations and working with SACEM, you help support artists and promote legal music broadcasting that respects copyright.
| Benefits of working with SACEM: | Benefits of working with SACEM: |
|---|---|
| – Access to a large repertoire of commercial music | – Fair remuneration for creators |
| – Respect for copyright | – Active contribution to the music industry |
| – Assistance with administrative procedures | – Support for artists and music creation |
SACEM is an essential partner for web radio stations that want to broadcast commercial music legally. By working with SACEM, you help support artists and promote a thriving music industry.
In summary, SACEM plays a key role in managing copyright in France. It collects royalties from music users and distributes them to creators and publishers to pay them for their work. By working with SACEM, you respect copyright and support music creators. Working with SACEM offers many benefits, including access to a large repertoire of commercial music, fair remuneration for creators and support for the music industry. Contact SACEM to obtain authorization and pay a fee so that you can broadcast music legally and ethically on your web radio station.
What is SPRÉ’s role?
SPRÉ (Société pour la perception de la rémunération équitable) plays a crucial role in managing the related rights of performers and record producers. As a collective organization, its mission is to collect the equitable remuneration owed to these members of the music industry. SPRÉ collects the payments and then distributes them to representatives of performers and producers. Its aim is to ensure that they are paid fairly for their work and creations.
Since December 1, 2019, registration with SPRÉ has been mandatory for all web radio stations wishing to broadcast commercial music. This declaration provides access to the entire recorded-music repertoire. By declaring your web radio station to SPRÉ, you ensure that you respect the related rights of performers and producers.
To ensure fair remuneration, SPRÉ applies rate schedules set by a commission under the authority of the Ministry of Culture. These rates vary according to criteria such as the number of listeners to your web radio station and the revenue it generates. You must therefore log in to the SPRÉ portal to declare your station and pay equitable remuneration in accordance with these rates.
Table: SPRÉ equitable remuneration rates
| Annual web radio station revenue | Applicable rate |
|---|---|
| Less than €1,000 | €50 |
| €1,000 to €5,000 | €100 |
| €5,000 to €10,000 | €150 |
| €10,000 to €25,000 | €250 |
| €25,000 to €50,000 | €350 |
In conclusion, SPRÉ plays an essential role in managing the related rights of performers and record producers. By declaring your web radio station to SPRÉ and paying equitable remuneration according to the established rates, you respect related rights and contribute to fair payment for these members of the music industry.

What is the difference between SACEM and SPRÉ?
To understand the difference between SACEM and SPRÉ, it helps to know that these two organizations are independent and play distinct roles in managing copyright and related rights. SACEM, the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique, manages the copyright of music creators, including authors, composers and publishers. SPRÉ, the Société pour la perception de la rémunération équitable, handles the related rights of performers and record producers.
SACEM collects royalties from music users, such as radio stations, cinemas and streaming sites, and distributes them to music creators and publishers. It thereby ensures that authors are paid for their work. SPRÉ, meanwhile, collects the equitable remuneration owed to performers and producers for the use of their sound recordings. It then distributes these payments to representatives of performers and producers.
In summary, SACEM handles copyright, while SPRÉ handles related rights. Both organizations are essential to ensuring fair remuneration for music creators and performers. If you plan to create a web radio station and broadcast commercial music, you should comply with copyright regulations by working with SACEM and SPRÉ to respect creators’ and artists’ rights.
| SACEM | SPRÉ |
|---|---|
| Manages copyright | Manages related rights |
| Collects royalties and distributes them to creators and publishers | Collects equitable remuneration owed to performers and producers and distributes it to their representatives |
| Pays authors for their work | Pays performers and producers for the use of their sound recordings |
In conclusion, although SACEM and SPRÉ have distinct roles, they work together to ensure fair remuneration for creators and artists. When you create a web radio station and broadcast commercial music, working with both organizations is essential to respecting copyright and related rights and ensuring that music is broadcast legally and ethically.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to create a web radio station in France and broadcast commercial music legally, you must comply with certain regulations and copyright requirements. You must register with the CSA, obtain authorization from SACEM for copyright and register with SPRÉ for the related rights of performers and producers. These organizations are important for rights management and creator remuneration. Using commercial music without authorization can lead to legal penalties or court action. Respecting regulations and copyright is therefore essential to broadcasting music online legally and ethically.
FAQ
Do I need authorization to create a web radio station?
Depending on your web radio station’s revenue, you must register with the CSA and obtain copyright authorization from SACEM. You must also register with SPRÉ for the related rights of performers and producers.
Which organizations should I contact to broadcast a web radio station legally and respect copyright?
You must contact SACEM (Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique), SPRÉ (Société pour la perception de la rémunération équitable) and the CSA (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel).
What is SACEM’s role?
SACEM manages the copyright of music authors, composers and publishers in France. It collects royalties from music users and distributes them to creators and publishers to pay them for their work.
What is SPRÉ’s role?
SPRÉ collects the equitable remuneration owed to performers and record producers for related rights. It distributes the payments to representatives of performers and producers.
What is the difference between SACEM and SPRÉ?
SACEM manages the copyright of music authors, composers and publishers, while SPRÉ manages the related rights of performers and record producers.

