Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel

Acum was incorporated in Mandatory Palestine in 1936, although it had been operating on an informal basis since 1934. The organization originally represented Jewish authors and musicians. In Acum's early years, the Palestine Broadcasting Service was its primary source of royalties. Acum did not have a workable system in place to collect royalties from café owners, nor did it distribute royalties among its members in a systematic fashion. As Acum improved its enforcement of royalty payments for musical works performed in Israel, it began signing reciprocal agreements with foreign counterparts. A 1965 Billboard report on the signing of an agreement between Acum and the GEMA performing rights organization of Germany noted: According to Israeli copyright law, royalties must be paid to Acum for reproduction of any kind of music in the rooms of officials, political parties, ministries and settlements (kibbutzim), or over the radio or on records and tape. Clubs, tourist buses and aircraft are encompassed by the copyright law. Even guitar music played in the evenings at the kibuzzims is subject to Acum royalties. Acum is a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and the International Bureau of Societies Administering Mechanical Rights, both of which are recognized by the UN's World Intellectual Property Organization. Through its CISAC membership, Acum is affiliated with more than 100 similar rights organizations around the world, collecting royalties on their behalf for work performed in Israel, and receiving royalties for Israeli members' works performed abroad. ==Antitrust ruling==

In 2004, the Israel Antitrust Authority declared that the arrangement which Acum had to license its members' work amounted to a restrictive agreement, and that Acum was essentially "a monopoly in the markets for the management of broadcast rights, public performance rights, copying rights, recording rights and rights to synchronise musical pieces, including the provision of licenses for the use of these rights". The case served as a precedent for other copyright management organizations in Israel to be subject to the approval of the Antitrust Tribunal. In 2008, in keeping with the demand for transparency, Acum hired a public relations firm and held its first-ever press conference. In 2011, the Antitrust Tribunal approved Acum's arrangements with artists for a period of five years, subject to a series of limitations. This approval was renewed in 2016, with additional requirements for Acum to regularly report on its revenues and artist compensation, as well as to indicate which copyrights have expired in its public database. ==Membership==

, Israel As of 2016, the organization has 10,125 members, of which 149 are publishers. There are no membership dues. To qualify for membership, artists must be active in the fields of literature and music, and have their works "used on a public basis". ==Creative studio==

In 2012, Acum opened a creative studio in which young musicians can perform royalty-free and also receive part of the profits from ticket sales. Located in a hangar in the Tel Aviv Port, the studio provides amplifiers, lighting, musical instruments, and a rehearsal stage. The 150-seat facility is also used by the organization for workshops and master classes. ==Acum Prize==

The Acum prize ceremony started in 1958 As of 2018, Acum's lifetime achievement award includes a cash prize of $10,000. Awards controversy In 2014 the board of directors decided to downgrade a lifetime achievement award to a general prize for "contribution to music" for singer Ariel Zilber, whose political views are right-wing and pro-settler. The board was pressured to downgrade the prize by left-wing protestors, among them Dalia Rabin, daughter of the slain Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin. The board's decision drew condemnation from right-wing politicians Avigdor Lieberman, Foreign Minister, Naftali Bennett, Minister of the Economy, and Limor Livnat, Minister of Culture, as well as from supporters of art, music, and freedom of speech. ==Directors==

Directors of Acum have included: • Ovad Efrat (current) • Menachem Avidom, 1955–1980 ==References==