From 1 July 2023 GEMA will also distribute using a new IT system
GEMA aims to remain a reliable partner for its members and adaptable at the same time, so we never stop looking for ways to improve what we do.
Our top priority remains unchanged: to distribute all licensing income to our members reliably, correctly and precisely – leaving them free to devote their full attention to music.
With this in mind, we have been working flat out to develop a new, modern and high-performance IT system for calculating distributions even more precisely (within the framework of the provisions set out in the distribution plan).
The distribution dated 1 June 2023 saw the first use of this new system to calculate royalties. The new system will also be used for the distribution dated 1 July 2023 in the broadcasting rights categories (FS, FS VR; T FS, T FS VR and R, R VR and T).
Greater transparency and precision: the improvements our new IT system will bring
Detailed statements are now available in our Online Portal
Since 01 June, members will notice the new feature detailed statements in our Online Portal: full details of all their royalties, displayed clearly and compactly. These will initially be supplementary to the statements available via GEMA Download (GDOWN) and are still under development. Detailed statements via the Online Portal will also continue to be available as CSV and PDF files.
You can now see the amount earned per use
In the new detailed statements, we can display the distribution amount per use, with all decimal places - for the first time. We calculate your royalties with an accuracy of ten decimal places.
Please note: If you compare the amounts in GEMA Download, in the Online Portal (those displayed in the CSV file) and in the account statement, there may be rounding differences in the totals. The correct amounts can be found in the account statement and the detailed statements in the Online Portal (CSV file).
We will calculate your royalties applying the distribution parameters of the year of use
You generally receive royalties for uses of your works during the calendar year following the year of the actual use. Sometimes, for various reasons, we are not able to pay royalties out until a later date. Up to now, uniform parameters such as point values, second values, supplementary percentage rates, etc. have been applied in respect of all uses in a distribution.
Irrespective of the date of the use, these were always the values of the financial year in which the use was distributed. Our new IT system allows us to take the date of the use into account. So when we calculate your royalties, we will always use the distribution parameters that were in effect at the time of the actual use of your work – even if we are only able to pay them out later.
You can find an overview of our distribution parameters in the categories live and reproduction, sorted by year, under general information on: www.gema.de/en/live-reproduction.You can find an overview of our distribution parameters and categories tv, film and cinema, sorted by year, under general information on: www.gema.de/en/music-creators/radio-tv-film.
Duration of use and distributions are now calculated to the second
The new IT system calculates royalties accurate to the second. As of now we will therefore always indicate the duration of the use and the distribution parameters in seconds or as a second value – for all relevant categories: FS, FS VR; T FS, T FS VR; R, R VR; T; DK und DK VR. However, we will also continue to show the minute values to make it easier to compare the two.
What are we planning for the future?
Do you have any questions about these new features?
Please use the following subject line: “New IT system for distributions”
Questions and answers about the effects of the new IT system
Due to the IT conversion, there are currently some errors in the detailed lists for the sections of the performing and broadcasting rights. We have provided more information on this under the following link.
To remain future-proof and competitive, it was necessary to introduce a modern IT infrastructure that met the highest security standards. The development of the new system was finished at the start of 2023. Now we are launching the new system.
The amounts in the statements in the GEMA download are rounded to 2 decimal places. The amounts in the distribution document in the online portal (csv file) are more accurate with 10 decimal places. As a result there may be rounding differences between the various documents.
Please note: The different amounts result only from the shortened form of presentation. You will find the correct amounts (without rounding differences) in the account statement and in the detailed statements in the online portal (csv file).
Until the new parameters are implemented, complete detailed statements can only be accessed in GEMA Download (GDOWN) (albeit in the old format and not as a combined statement).