Points are currency in the PRX economy. Member stations purchase a number of points to spend on licensing pieces, and member producers (and station producers) earn points when their pieces are licensed.
For example, when a station buys a 300-point piece (usually 60 minutes if set at the PRX default rate), 300 points are automatically deducted from the station account and put in the producer's account.
Why we we do it this way:
- Once a station joins PRX, they do not have to handle any direct financial transactions or negotiations with producers — PRX takes care of that.
- A member station has essentially "pre-paid" for programming and has an incentive to use its points and therefore broadcast the pieces it has purchased.
- All of the points are tracked automatically in the PRX database. Stations and producers can view and print reports of these transactions.
Pricing Options
Producers can offer their work at four pricing tiers:
- Free (0 points)
- Default (approximately $.50/min)
- Double (approximately $1.00/min)
- Triple (approximately $1.50/min)
However, pricing is a bit more complicated than these tiers might lead you to believe. Read on to get into the weeds!
The PRX Economy and Royalties
Converting Points into Royalties: PRX royalties are determined by multiplying the number of points (based on the length of the piece) earned by the value of each point. The value of each point is generally determined by the size of the PRX member station buying the piece (each station's PRX membership is figured on a sliding scale). Thus, the larger the overall station membership, the higher the royalty for the producer.
We guarantee a minimum base royalty of $.10 per point ($.50/minute) regardless of the size of the purchasing station. Therefore, royalties for the producer will float up if the purchasing station is in a larger market but it will not drop below $.10 per point.
For example:
- If your piece is worth 100 points and it is purchased by a station that has a purchasing point value of $.25, you will earn the minimum $.10 guaranteed by PRX plus an additional $.15 per point.
- If your piece is purchased by a station that has a purchasing point value of $.08, you will earn the minimum $.10 guaranteed by PRX.
Please note that you cannot charge points for an automated delivery series.
You can find information on how to receive royalty payments at this link.