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What is OAZA

Are you a sound master – for example, a sound engineer who creates the sound component of musical or audiovisual works? Then you hold copyright that OAZA looks after. Most sound engineers don't even know it.

Who is behind the name OAZA?

OAZA (full name Ochranná asociace zvukařů – autorů, zapsaný spolek, i.e. the Protective Association of Sound Engineers – Authors, a registered association) is a collecting society authorised by the Czech Ministry of Culture to manage copyright in works by sound masters. It is the least known of the three music collecting societies in the Czech Republic – and yet it concerns everyone who works with sound professionally.

OAZA was founded in 2003 as a professional organisation bringing together sound masters on the basis of voluntary membership. The key turning point came in 2005, when a court recognised that sound masters create copyright works when the statutory requirements are met. Since 2006, OAZA has carried out collective management under an authorisation from the Czech Ministry of Culture.

Who is a sound master?

A sound master is the author of the sound component of a musical or audiovisual work – that is, a sound director, sound designer or sound architect whose creative contribution reaches the level of a copyright work within the meaning of Section 2 of the Copyright Act (Act No. 121/2000 Coll.). Not every sound engineer qualifies – it has to be a creative, original contribution, not just technical processing. In Artists Bez Labelu, you list sound engineers for a recording in the Mix and Mastering fields; further roles (such as sound engineer) can be activated for you on request – see All options for entering artists and their roles on a recording.

Who does OAZA represent?

OAZA represents sound masters – the authors of the sound component of musical and audiovisual works. In practice, these are mainly:

Sound directors

Authors of the sound component of music recordings who creatively shape the final sound of the work.

Sound designers

Authors of the sound component of audiovisual works – films, series, adverts, games or other audiovisual projects.

Heirs and rights holders

OAZA also represents the heirs of sound masters and other rights holders (e.g. on the basis of a licence agreement).

OAZA is neither Intergram nor OSA

OSA protects the musical work (the composition and lyrics) – it represents authors (composers and lyricists). Intergram protects the recording – it represents performers and producers. OAZA protects the sound component of the work – it represents sound masters as authors. A single recording can therefore earn royalties from all three societies at the same time.

What does OAZA collect royalties for?

OAZA collects royalties under the three standard regimes of collective management:

Mandatory collective management

By law, OAZA represents all sound masters – even without an agreement. It collects royalties for, for example:

  • Blank media and devices – remuneration from the sale or import of blank media (CDs, DVDs, USB drives etc.) and audiovisual equipment.
  • (Video) lending – remuneration for lending recordings containing works by sound masters.
  • Cable retransmission – licensing the use of works in cable retransmission.

Extended collective management

OAZA also represents sound masters who have no agreement with it, but they can opt out. This applies to:

  • Public performance – operators of restaurants, hotels, shops and other businesses who make TV or radio broadcasts available to their guests.

Voluntary collective management

Only for sound masters who have signed an agreement with OAZA for this kind of representation. It covers:

  • Reproduction and distribution of works by sound masters.
  • Making works available to the public over the internet and computer networks.
  • Non-theatrical performance of works, live or from a recording.
  • Radio and TV broadcasting of works.
Royalties from abroad

Thanks to reciprocal agreements with foreign authors' organisations, OAZA also collects author royalties for the use of works by sound masters abroad. This requires a signed representation agreement.

How to work with OAZA

There are three ways to work with OAZA – and there are fundamental differences between them:

Representation agreement Registration application Membership of the association
Scope of royalties Full scope – both mandatory and voluntary management Mandatory collective management only Same as the agreement + voting rights
Royalties from abroad Yes No Yes
Voting at the General Assembly No No Yes
Requirement Signing the agreement + notifying your works Filling in the application + notifying your works At least 5 years of representation + Board approval
Signing an agreement is not enough – you must notify your works

The agreement or registration application on its own is not enough. For OAZA to pay you royalties, you must notify specific works via the OAZAIS information system. OAZA also offers monitoring of how your works are used – all you need to do is provide sample recordings.

Why is registering worth it?

OAZA collects royalties on behalf of all sound masters by law – even without an agreement. However, it can only pay out the royalties collected to those who claim their share and meet the conditions of its Distribution Rules. Without registering and notifying your works, you simply forfeit the royalties.

What is more, OAZA works with Intergram – under a mandate agreement, Intergram also collects royalties for works by sound masters from public performance and broadcasting. Registering with OAZA can therefore bring you royalties from channels you may not even know about.

Go to OAZA.eu

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