The Ivors Academy and the Musicians’ Union (MU) have launched a new Fair Score survey to give media composers the opportunity to share their experiences of buyouts, coercive commissioning practices and the realities of today’s composing landscape.
The findings will inform the next phase of the Fair Score campaign, a joint initiative by the Ivors Academy and MU to educate composers about royalty buyouts and commissioning practices, while lobbying broadcasters and commissioners to act fairly and transparently.
A previous survey by the Ivors Academy in 2019 revealed serious concerns about the commissioning environment, with:
- 35% of respondents accepting buyouts or work-for-hire deals
- 41% giving up more mechanical rights than they wanted to
- 64% saying they found the environment coercive
Six years on, the landscape has continued to evolve. This updated survey will help both organisations understand what has changed, and where the greatest challenges and opportunities now lie for composers working across film, TV and games.
The survey takes around 20 minutes to complete and closes on 6 November 2025. All responses are confidential and securely shared between The Ivors Academy and MU.
Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a £100 gift voucher prize draw, with one winner from each organisation.
