Whenever there is a public performance of one of its members' musical works or a song is being reproduced, SACEM intervenes.

Any person or entity using music or reproducing it on media must get a license to do so and pay royalties which go to the authors, composers and publishers. SACEM licenses the public performances of its members' musical works. A public performance is one that occurs either in a public place where people gather (other than a small circle of a family or social acquaintances). A public performance is also one that is transmitted to the public, for example, over the radio or TV broadcasts, and via the Internet.

By authorizing, in the form of contracts, the public broadcasting of protected works: television, radio, concerts, balls, nightclubs, cinemas, public places playing music, or, in form of SDRM, the reproduction of songs on phono- or videogram.

By collecting royalties from the users. The amount of these fees is determined by the type of service that is provided by the music. This way, SACEM receives a percentage of the revenue coming from the exploitation of music when it is essential. The fee is calculated at a fixed rate, whenever music only plays a “secondary“role.

By collecting from broadcasters, organizers of shows and major phonogram and videogram producers, programs of the songs being played and reproduces, in order to distribute the sums collected between the beneficiaries. 

The programs of the songs that are being played are regularly issued by radio and TV stations, organizers of shows and concerts, sound engineers, artist-performers, and phonogram and producers.

By analyzing these programs SACEM is able to distribute the corresponding sums among the right owners of the played works.

Example : A song is being played on RTL. The radio station issues then, on a monthly basis, a summary of all the songs they played, which includes information allowing the fair distribution of the royalties: title, name of the author, date and time when the song was played, duration,…

Producers of video- and phonograms (record producers) also communicate for each CD, tape or vinyl, the titles that are being reproduced, as well as the number of copies sold.

80% of the rights allocated are distributed this way, track by track. This is one of the highest rates among the authors' rights organisations in the world, in the field of music.

Playing music in public spaces such as restaurants, shops, waiting rooms, fun fairs, … makes it impossible for the owner to provide all the information necessary (such as a tracklist) in order to collect and distribute the royalties.

In order to be able to distribute royalties, SACEM clusters all the data collected (in particular statistical data), by taking into account consumers habits. Particularly reference is made to the musical programs of shows and radio stations, as well as to the reproduction on media of works.

5% of the fees collected are distributed as royalties.

The redistribution of the royalties depends on :

The information provided by the members when declaring their works : title, genre, duration, name and the “role” of the right holder (author, composer, adapter?, arranger, publisher,…)

The programs of the distributed/broadcasted or reproduced works issued by the clients (television, radio, organizers if shows and concerts, record producers,…) or surveys that are made when it is impossible for the consumer to establish a work by work list/program (balls, nightclubs, jukeboxes,…).

• The amounts paid by broadcasters and producers
• The works broadcasted and why or where they were played
• The Names of authors, composers, publishers of the works
• The duration of each work