Title: Auditing the Performing Rights Society - investigating a new European Union Collective Management Organization member audit method

Authors: Graeme Gilfillan; Abraham Gert Van Der Vyver

Addresses: NWU School of Business and Governance – Mafikeng, Corner of Albert Luthuli and University Drive, Mmabatho, 2745, North West, South Africa ' IIE MSA, Private Bag X60, Roodepoort 1725, South Africa

Abstract: The European Union Rights Management Directive 2014/26/EU, provides regulatory oversight of European Union (EU) Collective Management Organizations (CMOs). However, the Directive has no provision indicating how members of EU CMOs may conduct non-financial audits of their CMO income and reporting. This paper addresses the problem of a lack of an audit method through a case study of the five writer members of the music group Duran Duran, who have been members of the UK's CMO for performing rights - the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for over 35 years. The paper argues a new audit CMO member method that can address the lacunae regarding the absence of CMO member right to audit a CMO and an applicable CMO audit method.

Keywords: audit; chain of title; royalty supply chain; royalty audit; legal audit; Collective Management Organization; CMO; Performing Rights Society; PRS; Duran Duran; CISAC.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPL.2019.104949

International Journal of Technology Policy and Law, 2019 Vol.3 No.2, pp.143 - 159

Received: 24 May 2019
Accepted: 31 Jul 2019
Published online: 07 Feb 2020 *

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