The Motion Picture Licensing Corporation changed their rules in 2016 and a lot of nursing homes are finding out the hard way about the implications to an all-time favorite activity: showing movies.
Under the previous rules organizations like libraries, schools, and senior living facilities were exempt from requiring a license to show movies. Now that they have changed that, some nursing homes are being fined for showing movies without the proper licensing agreement in place.
On the one hand, it doesn’t seem fair to charge nursing homes a fee for showing movies in the senior’s home. It’s where they live, and the home has purchased the DVDs for the resident’s use. On the other hand, movie nights are usually held within a common area of your home, not within a resident’s room. This is considered a “semi-public” place, and thus still needs a license.
If your home hasn’t already purchased an Umbrella License for showing movies you should mention this to your Management or Administrator to avoid getting a hefty fine.
The NAAP website has information about the license, and potential discounts for members, the cost of a license depends on the type and size of your home.
Additional information about the Umbrella License for your home can be found at the MPLC website.
