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Music and videos on digital signage monitors: what are the rules for broadcasting?

Music and videos on digital signage monitors: what are the rules for broadcasting?
You may often want to use your business’s digital signage network to broadcast music and videos. However, you need to pay attention to the terms and conditions governing the broadcasting of this type of content, particularly when it is protected and its use is subject to copyright laws or restrictions on public use (e.g. YouTube). It is important to be aware of this legal aspect as well, as it will help you avoid unpleasant penalties. In this guide, we provide an overview of the rules governing this area.

YouTube: licence agreement and restrictions

When you view a video on YouTube, you agree to YouTube’s terms of service, which clearly state that: “Content is intended for personal, non-commercial use only.”
This means that you are not permitted to publicly play videos from YouTube — even if you are not editing or downloading them — in environments open to the public or for commercial purposes (and a waiting room falls into this category). YouTube does not grant ‘public performance’ or ‘public communication’ rights for videos hosted on the platform.

Music rights (SIAE / SCF)

In addition to YouTube’s terms and conditions, copyright law (Law 633/1941) also applies, particularly to music. Any public reproduction of musical works (music, video clips, concerts) requires authorisation from the rights holders, which in Italy is usually managed by:
    • SIAE → for copyright on authors and composers;
    • SCF → for the related rights of phonogram producers and performers.
In practice, in order to broadcast music or music videos in a venue, office or waiting room, you need specific licences issued by these offices.


A practical example?

You are a medical practice and want to entertain your clients while they wait with relaxing music and videos. How should you proceed in this case?

It isn’t allowed…

Streaming videos or music from YouTube, not even if:

    • the video is public or free;
    • there are no direct profits (because the space is still open to customers/patients);
    • use a television or tablet connected to the internet.

Alternatively, you can…

    1. Activate subscriptions for background music/video: there are services (e.g. Soundreef, Jamendo Licensing, Rockbot, Rehegoo, etc.) that provide playlists or music videos for commercial use with licences already included.
    2. Request annual SIAE/SCF licences: If you wish to use mainstream music, you can apply for annual licences for background music or hold music.
    3. Opt for royalty-free content: you may only use videos or music for which you have an explicit licence for public distribution (e.g. from audio/video stock platforms).

Can I use self-produced videos that I have uploaded to YouTube?

In this case, the situation is different and potentially lawful, provided that certain fundamental conditions are met.


Copyright and content ownership

The videos must be produced by the practice itself (e.g. patient interviews, case studies and similar) and must be uploaded to the practice’s official YouTube channel. In addition, the practice must own the rights to the video. This means that the practice must have filmed and edited the content internally or, if it had the content produced by a videographer, it must have acquired all rights to it. Finally, it is important that the video does not contain unauthorised third-party music or images.
Please note! If music, jingles or images from third-party libraries have been used in the videos, it is necessary to verify that the licence for those materials also covers ‘public or commercial use’. For example, ‘royalty-free for personal use’ music on YouTube is not automatically reusable in a public space.

Use via digital signage software

If the practice plays them in the waiting room via a digital signage system, there is no technical or legal problem in retrieving your videos from YouTube (via API, link or embedding) to play them on the digital signage circuit. However, the following conditions must be met:

  • the YouTube channel belongs to the studio.
  • the videos belong to the studio;
  • YouTube’s licence terms are not being violated (i.e. you are not monetising or redistributing other people’s content)

In this case, the reproduction is not a “public performance of third-party content,” but simply the dissemination of one’s own promotional or informational materials.

Please note that this is informational content only. Always refer to the official website and consult your legal advisor for any clarification.
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