Gramo

Gramo is the joint collection society in Norway for musicians, performing artists and phonogram producers. Gramo manages and administers the right of performers and producers to receive remuneration when recorded music is played on the airways or in other public arenas. Gramo collects remuneration from radio stations, cafes, hotels, shops and other users of recorded music in public arenas, and distributes these to all who participated in the recordings. In addition to its members, Gramo also represents all other rights holders who have participated in recordings that are protected under the Copyright Act. Gramo was established as an Association on 7th June 1989 as a result of Section 45b of the Copyright Act that afforded performing artists and producers the right to receive remuneration from the use of their recordings. From and including 1.1.90 the said right encompassed use in broadcasting on the airways and from 1.7.2001 this was extended to include other public use (in cafes, shops, hotels and so forth). The founders of Gramo were the organisations Norsk Musikerforbund, Norsk Tonekunstnersamfund, Norsk Skuespillerforbund, Skuespillerforeningen av 1978, FONO and IFPI Norge. The Board of Gramo is made up of representatives of rights organisation representing performing artists and producers.The Ministry of Culture has authorised Gramo as the joint collecting society in Norway. International Remuneration rights in Norway have their basis in the International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations signed in Rome in October 1961, and has since then also been regulated through EU Directives. The right to receive remuneration applies in almost all European countries and almost universally globally. Gramo co-operates with other equivalent organisations in Europe, and participates in working groups and international fora where remuneration arrangements are on the agenda.