The history of SUISA

SUISA then and now

SUISA can look back on over 100 years’ history. A short chronicle of milestones

1883 – First Swiss copyright legislation

The first copyright law enacted in Switzerland contained many deficiencies. At the time, in Switzerland, unlike in neighbouring countries, there was no such thing as a collective administration society. However, in 1876 a branch of SACEM, the French society, started granting French authors in Switzerland the same level of legal protection as in France.

1900 – Founding of STV

The impetus for the foundation of a collecting society in Switzerland was given by a music-loving Federal Councilor called Adrien Lachenal. On 30 June 1900, the STV - Schweizerische Tonkünstlerverein (association of Swiss sound artists) was founded in Zurich. The STV was not a proper collecting society, but its declared purpose was to create a society for the collective administration of authors’ rights. However, it was committed first of all to improving copyright law.

1923 – Founding of MECHANLIZENZ

SUISA’s story truly starts in 1923 with the founding of MECHANLIZENZ, its predecessor organisation, at the time a joint-stock company. The company’s purpose was to license the production of sound recordings. At the time, sound recordings meant music boxes rather than vinyl records which were still in their infancy in 1923.

1924 – Founding of GEFA

On 6 July 1924, one year after the coming into force of the new copyright law and the founding of MECHANLIZENZ, the Swiss society for performance rights, GEFA, was founded in Olten. The society was run by STV, the Swiss association of sound artists (STV), in cooperation with the Swiss society of popular authors, composers, and publishers, the association of Swiss music dealers and publishers, and other groups.

1941 – GEFA becomes SUISA

The new collective administration law of 1941 provided that only a single society would be empowered to collectively manage the rights of authors of non-dramatic music, that this society needed State approval, and that it would operate under federal supervision. As a result, GEFA was converted from an association into a cooperative society. SUISA first started operating on 1 January 1942.

1946 – Additional branch in West Switzerland

The SUISA branch in Lausanne also incorporated the Film department which was – and is still -- responsible for cinema theatres, film producers and television advertisers across Switzerland as a whole.

1958 – MECHANLIZENZ attached to SUISA

MECHANLIZENZ was visibly hard put to gain recognition. Most of its members were also members of SUISA, and they compared the services offered by the two societies. In 1958, MECHANLIZENZ was attached to SUISA but both societies retained their legal independence. The full merger came quite a few years later. The merger agreement was approved by the general meetings of the two societies on 14 June 1980.

1965 - CAE directory (composers, authors, and publishers)

The Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Auteurs et Compositeurs instructed SUISA to prepare a list of all composers, lyricists, and music publishers affiliated with one of the authors’ societies. The directory would soon comprise over one million names. Since 1997, this directory has been called the IPI List (Interested Parties Information) and can be accessed online by all rightholders.  

1989 – the Foundation for Music first sees the light

“SUISA-Stiftung für Musik”, the SUISA Foundation for Music, or FONDATION SUISA as it is called today, was established in 1989. Today it is headquartered in the “Maison de la Musique” in Lausanne. It promotes Swiss musical creation in Switzerland and abroad.

2002 – Branch in Lugano

Today, a staff of four employees serves authors, publishers and customers in Italian-speaking Switzerland and neighbouring Italy.

2017 – Joint venture with Mint Digital Services

The principle of territorial rights management does not apply to online music usage. Moreover, online licensing of music usages presupposes that the collective management organisation have at its disposal the requisite processes and IT infrastructure. As a result, many organisations – including larger ones – started setting up what are known as licensing hubs. SUISA established Mint Digital Services in joint venture with SESAC Holdings, a US music rights organisation. The company is responsible for the management and accounting of the transnational music licensing business with online providers.

2017 - Founding of SUISA Digital Licensing

Building up the online area is an important step in paving the way for the future. Music usage is increasingly shifting to the Internet, and territorial borders are crumbling. As a result, in the future we can expect to see music usage on TV or in concerts managed transnationally by the rights management organisation offering the best service rather than by the collecting societies in individual countries.

SUISA can look back on over 100 years’ history
 

A short chronicle of milestones

  • 2017 Founding of SUISA Digital Licensing
  • 2017 Founding of Mint Digital Service in joint venture with the US organisation SESAC
  • 2010 Andreas Wegelin, CEO of SUISA
  • 2002 SUISA opens branch in Lugano
  • 1997 Alfred Meyer, CEO of SUISA
  • 1992 Enactment of the new  Federal copyright law
  • 1991 Hans Ulrich Lehmann, President of SUISA
  • 1989 Suisa Foundation for Music founded in Neuchâtel
  • 1989 Patrick Liechti, General Director of SUISA
  • 1987 Julien-François Zbinden, President of SUISA
  • 1980 Merger of MECHANLIZENZ and SUISA
  • 1979 Hermann Haller, President of SUISA
  • 1968 SUISA relocates to its own building in Zurich-Wollishofen
  • 1967 Mario Zavadini, President of SUISA
  • 1964 Founding of SUISA Pension Fund for Authors and Publishers
  • 1961 Ulrich Uchtenhagen, new Director of SUISA
  • 1960 Carlo Hemmerling, President of SUISA
  • 1958 Introduction of the CAE directory (composers, authors, publishers), today the IPI (Interested Parties Information)
  • 1955 Revision of the copyright law
  • 1954 SUISA relocates its Lausanne office to Av. du Grammont 11bis
  • 1951 Jean Binet, President of SUISA
  • 1949 Heinrich Sutermeister, President of MECHANLIZENZ
  • 1946 SUISA establishes a branch in Lausanne at the Tour Bel-Air Métropole
  • 1942 MECHANLIZENZ converted from an association into a cooperative society: MECHANLIZENZ, the Swiss Society for Authors’ Mechanical Rights
  • 1941 Coming into force of the collective administration law providing that only a single society would be authorised to collectively manage non-dramatic music rights
  • 1935 Conversion of MECHANLIZENZ into an association
  • 1927 Adolf Streuli, first Director of GEFA
  • 1924 Founding of GEFA, the society for performance rights. Carl Vogler is its first president
     
  • 1923 Founding of MECHANLIZENZ, the Swiss collective rights administration society, as a joint-stock company
  • 1922 Enactment of a new copyright law
  • 1900 Founding of Schweizerischer Tonkünstlerverein STV
    (Swiss Association of Musicians)
     
  • 1886 Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
  • 1876 The French society SACEM starts its agency work in Switzerland