Northumbria and Durham police forces ban radios

Dec 24 2009 by Lisa Hutchinson, The Journal

TOP police bosses have gone Radio Ga Ga after banning their officers from playing music at work.

Officers across Northumbria and Durham police forces have been told they cannot listen to music played publicly from radios, televisions and websites in their individual offices.

And the decision means officers will not be able to listen to Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody and Bing Crosby’s White Christmas as offices stay silent this festive season.

The ban follows a demand for payment of thousands of pounds from the Performing Rights Society for Music.

The organisation asked for the renewal of the licence which is required for all uses of music in the Northumbria and Durham forces’ police stations, its offices, canteens and communal staff areas such as gyms.

But bosses decided to slash their annual bills by reducing the amount of radios and TVs it has across the forces.

And now dozens of radios and TVs have been unplugged as cops and civilians are told to work in silence.

The PRS is responsible for collecting licence fees from music users and distributing royalties to writers and composers. But police bosses say the licence fee fiasco has been brought about to save cash.

And music can now only be played in canteens, gyms, fleet workshops and operational needs resource areas.