Register commercials for TV, cinema and internet
Soundfiles - the prerequisite for TV advertising monitoring
The soundfile is the essential element to identify a commercial and the music included in it as part of TV monitoring. This is also anchored in § 37 of the distribution plan.
It is no longer necessary that you submit audiovisual commercials and TV ads separately in future provided that you have registered the musical works included in them with us and that you have submitted the corresponding soundfiles to us. In those cases it is up to you if you want to submit a notification to us. This can then be on a voluntary basis and without obtaining a signature from the producer, the principal or the advertising agency.
This new rule only applies to TV commercials which are produced for exploitation in Germany. In the case of TV commercials which are exclusively intended for usages abroad or commercials which are exploited on the internet or in cinemas, you must continue to send us a notification separately.
Registration process
Log in to the GEMA Online Portal
You log in to your account with your e-mail and password, access the soundfile upload and accept the confirmation declaration.
Register your work
Precondition for uploading the soundfile: You registered the work.
Soundfile upload
Upload the audio file of your work via the Online Portal and approve it for TV advertising monitoring.
Monitoring and upload deadlines for soundfiles
Please provide us with your soundfiles as quickly as possible so that they can be used for the monthly monitoring of TV advertising/commercials but no later than by 31 January of the year following the transmission. Exception: for broadcasts or transmissions between 1 November and 31 December, the deadline is 31 March of the following year.
Stations for which we use monitoring data
Identify advertising usages – our inquiry list for commercials
As a GEMA member or authorised representative you can search for commercials that have been used but have not been recognised, allocated and distributed. The reason for this is a missing soundfile or a missing registration of the TV advertising spot (commercial).
So that you can check whether your commercials might also be affected, you can launch the online service inquiry list/identify usages in your GEMA Online Portal and search specifically for your productions. Or you research our overview (an Excel file) where all of the non-identified usages are listed.
Should you detect a non-identified commercial that you contributed to please upload your soundfile via the Online Portal or register the commercial.
Register commercials via our forms
To register TV commercials which are exclusively intended for usages abroad or commercials which are exploited on the internet or in cinemas, please use our commercials form. Please note: In this case, please have the principal (your client) confirm the details by signing the form.