TuneIn starts to remove UK radio stations from its platform

TuneIn has started to remove some UK radio stations from its platform over a court ruling about music licensing – including non-music stations.

In a recent change, the obligation to confirm the licensing status of individual stations now falls on TuneIn pursuant to court order.

This means a removal notification has been sent to radio stations that are not on a recent database provided by PRS and PPL. Radio stations that do not require licenses from PRS and PPL such as speech stations have also been removed with no further explanation.

In an email to stations, TuneIn says: “In light of that court ruling and out of an abundance of caution, TuneIn has implemented procedures to prohibit access from within the UK to any broadcast simulcast or Internet only stations that have not been confirmed to be licensed by PPL and PRS for Music in the UK.”

TuneIn says is working with representatives of copyright owners to confirm the licensing status of individual stations.

Those stations for which TuneIn has received confirmed licensed status to transmit in the UK can be made available to TuneIn users in the UK.

TuneIn adds that if a station owner believes that its station is fully licensed, then the station owner should contact Warner and Sony or their agents (e.g. PPL) so that they can confirm for TuneIn the licensed status of a station.