Low Power Radio Stations

The OneMusic Low Power Radio broadcast licence gives Low Power radio stations access to a world-wide repertoire of music of over 5,000,000 songs from around the world.

Click 'Apply Now' to view licence fees, download, save and complete your application. Return to info@onemusicnz.com.

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Low Power Radio broadcasters are broadcasting services whose reception is limited by transmission power (under 1 watt) and reception area. These services can be received on standard radio sets but according to MBIE specifications are available on guard band frequencies only. The Low Power Radio licence is for non-commercial stations that use advertising for cost recovery purposes only. The licence allows for limited revenue collection by the broadcaster - up to $10,000 per year.

It's important to note that the OneMusic Low Power Radio licence does not include the permission to reproduce music, including production music.

View our Fact Sheet

Why does my Low Power radio station need a music licence?

Under the Copyright Act (1994), when you broadcast or stream music online you need permission from music creators to use their music. Your OneMusic licence gives you permission to play essentially all commercially released music from here and around the world.

I have paid for the music I play, so why do I need a licence?

Buying music does not grant you the right to publicly broadcast music. Music is sold for private/domestic use, broadcasting or streaming music to your listeners requires permission from the rights holders (a licence).

Is holding a licence to play music a legal requirement?

Yes it is - the Copyright Act (1994) clearly establishes broadcast rights, protecting the rights of music creators. The Copyright Act also outlines the penalties for anyone in breach of the Act. You can access the Copyright Act (1994) here.

Who is OneMusic?

OneMusic is a joint licensing initiative between APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ. Many music creators around the world earn an income by granting organisations, like ours, the right to collect and pay their royalties.

OneMusic simplifies the licensing process and allows music users to meet their copyright obligations to play our music in their business.

Where does the money go?

When you hear about music royalties, that’s what we do. Licence fees are distributed to songwriters, composers, publishers, recording artists and record labels, by APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, who are the companies behind OneMusic. Click here to find out more.

Are broadcasting licences only required in New Zealand?

No - similar copyright laws exist around the world, and stations world-over need to seek permission from right holders to broadcast their music. This is typically done through rights organisations similar to APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ.

Want to know more? Read the full FAQs here, or call us on 0800 800 663 - we're here to help.