What is a linear webcast?
A linear webcast is the real-time delivery of audio over the internet to domestic listeners where audiences cannot interact with or change the listening experience by pausing or skipping tracks. There are two types of audio linear webcast:
- An online radio station broadcasts audio over the internet (instead of over the air methods such as FM or DAB). This can be live or pre-recorded content delivered in real time
- A simulcast is a simultaneous transmission of an over-the-air radio station online
A linear webcast can also include audio-visual, music video and TV programme content, but these types of services are not covered by this licence. Please visit our broadcasting on TV and online services page for the relevant information.
For other online services, please see other online audio licences.
The Linear Webcast Licence does not cover any service that:
- Is funded (entirely or in part) by subscription revenue
- Is funded by a sole sponsor, sole donor or sole advertiser
- Offers any functionality that allows a listener to pause, skip, rewind, fast forward or otherwise personalise the service they receive
- Offers any on-demand content (such as programmes or single tracks)
- Allows the temporary or permanent downloading of any content (such as caching or podcasting) or any offline playback functionality
- Consists of programmes of less than three hours duration that are webcast on a loop or pre-determined order
- Is provided via a closed or encrypted network (such as through a password protected website)
The Linear Webcast Licence does not cover the use of the service for the provision of featured or background music in a public or commercial setting (such as shops or offices). For that, you will need TheMusicLicence. This is supplied by PPL PRS – you can find out more about this Licence here.
There are also restrictions on how you can use recorded music in your linear webcast – please read the Summary of Key Conditions which also gives you details of a second licence (from PRS for Music) that you will also need.
Costs
The Linear Webcast Licence is split into three bands. The band applied to your service is dependent on:
- The number of performances (where one track is streamed to one listener) generated by your service – you can estimate this by multiplying your estimated listener hours by the average number of music tracks you will webcast in one hour
- The annual revenue generated by your service
- The territories targeted by your service
The 2025 prices are as follows:
Band 1
Up to 150,000 performances per calendar year
- Price per channel, per calendar year (ex. VAT): £198 non-returnable fee
Band 2
From 150,001 to 270,000 performances per calendar year
- Price per channel, per calendar year (ex. VAT): £330 non-returnable fee
Band 3
Upwards of 270,001 performances per calendar year
- If your annual revenues exceed £5,000 per calendar year
- If you webcast to multiple territories. See details plus additional admin fee here
- Price per channel, per calendar year (ex. VAT): £661 non-returnable advance, recouped against £0.001321 (0.1321p) per performance
If your service launches after 1 January, your annual licence fee or annual advance will be pro-rated to the nearest full calendar quarter.
How to calculate Band 3 fees
To estimate the likely licence fee payable under Band 3, you can use the following calculation method. In the example below, the online linear webcast service is a single-channel music service with some speech that plays an average of 12 music tracks per hour, and that generates around 350 listener hours per day:
A. UK rate per stream (or rate per Performance) = £0.001321
B. Average number of recorded music tracks played per hour = 12
C. Average rate per listener hour = £0.015852 (A x B)
D. Estimated listener hours per day = 350
E. Estimated streaming royalties per day = £5.55 (C x D)
F. Estimated streaming royalties per quarter = £505.05 (E x 91)
G. Estimated streaming royalties per year = £2,025.75 (E x 365)
Reporting
Each band has differing reporting requirements. When required under your Linear Webcast Licence, PPL will contact you by email to request the information you will need to provide your reporting to us.
Band 1 and 2
- Webcasting reports are required twice yearly
- We may ask for territory, music usage or revenue reports upon request
Band 3
- Webcasting and territory reports are required quarterly
- Music usage reports are required quarterly and can usually be obtained from your digital play-out system
- We may ask for revenue reports upon request
How to calculate your Webcasting report
The Webcasting Report consists of two figures:
- The average number of tracks webcast per hour
- The total listener hours for your service in that period
The two figures are standard statistics that are typically captured by your streaming provider. Listener hours may be referred to something slightly different such as ‘Aggregate Tuning Hours’ or ‘ATH’, or simply ‘TLH’. To calculate the number of performances generated by your service in any given period, you simply multiply the two figures together.
How to calculate your Territory Report
The Territory Report is simply a percentage breakdown of the total number of performances generated by your service into the territories covered by your Linear Webcast Licence (e.g. 90% UK, 7% Germany, 3% Spain). This information is typically captured by your streaming provider and is readily available. We will provide reporting templates for you to submit this.
Apply for a Linear Webcast Licence
All licences are subject to an eligibility and application process where applicants will be asked to provide details of their service and its business model and are subject to the licence terms and conditions.
Start your Linear Webcast Licence application process here.
Once you have purchased your PPL licence online, you will receive a copy of your licence agreement and an invoice.
If we need more information from you after you have submitted your licence application, a member of PPL’s Broadcast Licensing team will be in touch within two working days.
If you have any questions about the PPL Linear Webcast, please complete the following form and we will get back to you.
Open form
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory
PRS for Music
You will also require a licence from PRS for Music. PPL and PRS for Music are two, separate, independent companies. While we both license the use of music and collect royalties for the music industry, we represent different rightsholders and have separate licences, terms and conditions.
PPL collects and distributes money for the use of recorded music on behalf of recording rightsholders (e.g. record companies) and performers. PRS for Music collects and distributes money for the use of music and lyrics on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers.
Visit PRS for Music for more information.
For other online audio services, please see other online audio licences.