4142.0 - Business of Music, Australia, Summary, 1995-96  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/10/1997  Ceased
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  • At 30 June 1996, there were 541 businesses (comprising record companies, distributors, manufacturers of recorded music, music publishers and sound recording studios) active in the field of music. Total employment (including working proprietors) was 3,886 persons. Of these, 2324 (60%) were employed by record companies and distributors and 800 (21%) by sound recording studios.

  • For 1995-96, total income of music businesses was $1,064.0m. Total sales of goods and services were valued at $897.5m with record companies and distributors generating $725.5m (81%) and manufacturers of recorded music generating $94.5m (11%). Publishing and sound recording royalties accounted for $135.6m (13%) of total income. Of these royalties, $93.8m was earned by music publishers and $41.8m by record companies and distributors.

  • Music businesses recorded an operating profit before tax of $80.1m with record companies and distributors contributing 61% of this. The overall profit margin was 7.5% and business gross product was $254.8m.

  • Net capital expenditure was $47.5m, 52% of which was contributed by record companies and distributors.

  • Total income of the 153 record companies and distributors was $792.4m of which $447.5m (56%) was from sales of recorded music product distributed via licensing deals. Operating profit before tax was $48.5m, profit margin was 6.1% and business gross product was $162.1m.

  • Total income of the 23 manufacturers of recorded music was $95.0m, while the operating profit before tax was $15.5m, profit margin 16.3% and business gross product $46.2m.

  • Total income of the 73 music publishers was $119.9m of which publishing royalties accounted for 75% and sales of sheet music 14%. Operating profit before tax was $8.3m, with a profit margin of 6.9% and business gross product of $17.2m.

  • Total income of the 292 businesses mainly involved in operating a recording studio was $56.6m. Most of this was from advertising and jingle composition and production (28%), the hire of sound recording studios (24%) and sound production and recording for TV and film (21%). Operating profit before tax was $7.8m, profit margin 13.8% and business gross product $29.9m.


ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication presents summary data from a census conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) of businesses mainly involved in selected music activities in respect of the financial year 1995-96. This is the first comprehensive study by the ABS of music activity and covers record companies, distributors and manufacturers of recorded music, music publishers and sound recording studios.