When Koda began transitioning from quarterly to monthly distributions in February, we embarked on the first stage of a very comprehensive change to Koda’s in-house settlement practices. During the first months of the new initiative, the monthly distributions have included TV and radio channels operated by DR, all of TV2’s nationwide channels, commercial radios, a number of concerts, and music played abroad. Later, we will include other commercial TV stations, all concerts and background music, meaning that we will gradually switch to monthly distributions within more and more areas.
During the first three months of our new approach, we have received a number of questions from members who find it more difficult to decipher their distributions now. – ‘What’s included and what's not? What distribution data is available when?’ are some of the questions asked of our membership service team.
We fully understand that it can be difficult to form a definite overview of the new distribution format, and it would have minimised such confusion if we had been able to implement everything all at once, instead of introducing changes one at a time, like building blocks. Unfortunately, the reality of the matter is that we couldn’t do that. We need to launch the new procedures step by step, so we must live with the fact that the old and new routines must work side by side for some time, and that we will also need to slightly adjust the procedures along the way.
For example, we have changed the distribution date to the middle of the month rather than by the end of month. From August, this will be our standard practice. No distributions will be made in July.
Aside from a few technical teething problems with viewing data via My Koda, the main barrier currently facing the project concerns the sum of data that needs to be in order: work data, reporting, and customer-related data, including payment from concert organisers. Once all of these things have been fully processed, we can make our distributions. That is, as soon as the work is registered, the music usage has been reported and matched with a work in our database, and the data has been properly verified in terms of quality assurance. And as far as concerts are concerned, we also need confirmation of payment. If just one link is missing in this chain, we cannot carry out the distribution. This means that we are entirely dependent on the reporting we receive from the various stakeholders – including from all of you members, who must now make doubly sure to register your works in due time, which may be faster than you’ve been accustomed to. Similarly, we also depend on our customers reporting efficiently and quickly. We are not quite there yet, but we will get there in the end as the new procedures become new routines.
On the plus side, we should point out that on the whole, the real objective behind the entire project – to speed up our distribution rates so that our members get their money faster – has in fact been reached. This is a success, as we’ve always maintained that the money is better off in the rightsholders’ pockets than with Koda.
Before the new procedures were introduced, you would typically see seven to nine months go by from the time a work was performed until we could carry out distributions – and in fact this is still the case at other European societies comparable to Koda. Now, when everything is in order – meaning that we have received all the necessary data – you get your money after just two months.
After all, this is the ultimate goal: getting the entire system geared up so that all the revenues received by Koda can be sent on as quickly as possible, and that data on these transactions can be displayed in a way that leaves no doubt about what is being distributed when.
You can always find information on when the next distribution is due for each individual area. The Distribution Schedule is updated regularly. If you want to opt out of monthly distributions, you can still do so via Koda’s online self-service: that way, you keep the quarterly distributions you know from before.
