SAMRO stands up for the rights of music composers and authors

24 June 2008

The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) plays a vital role in the administration of works, distribution of royalties and promotes copyright law of composers and authors works, through the collection of license fees from television broadcasters, radio stations, in-store radio stations, pubs, clubs, restaurants and all other businesses who broadcast music including pubs, clubs and restaurants.

A number of challenges, namely, various media reports with regard to SAMRO’s application of rules in complying with the National Credit Act (NCA) have led to the assumption that SAMRO will be cancelling Royalty Advance Payments to its composers and authors. There is also another untrue perception that SAMRO is withholding distribution of royalties to composers and authors and holding on to funds for its own benefit.

In an effort to address this challenge, SAMRO has entered into legal action against the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and issued a declarator (an objection) as the stringent requirements of the NCA are hampering the growth of South African composers and authors` works and stifling the music industry amongst others, and conflicts with SAMRO’s Royalty Advance Payments process.

The role of SAMRO within the South African market has not always been fully understood. SAMRO was established in 1961 with the objective to protect the intellectual property of composers and authors and ensures that the talent of the music industry is adequately credited both locally and internationally for music usage.

SAMRO is the representative for elected composers and authors whose primary objective is to collect license fees, administer musical works, distribute royalties and protect the copyright of musical works of all its composers and authors, so that all will benefit.

SAMRO collects license fees on behalf of its composers and authors and distributes all collections to earning composers and authors. These license fees are collected daily and accumulated in an investment account on behalf of SAMRO members, which earns interest throughout the year. This interest is then paid out to all earning members in a Non Royalty Revenue distribution at the end of each year, and distribution only occurs once all complete data has been received from all the relevant music users. This is done to ensure that all royalties from music users are captured to maximise royalty benefits for all SAMRO’s composers and authors.

SAMRO protects an extensive collection written by thousands of songwriters and composers worldwide and is linked to over 200 global collecting societies for mechanical reproduction rights or public performance. The organisation has a membership base in excess of 7 000, composers and authors of all nationalities in Southern Africa.

SAMRO has an important role to play in the collection of licenses, administration of works and distribution of royalties to its composers and authors.  The organisation is guided by global best practice standards to ensure protection of copyright of all musical works of its composers and authors. The contestation of certain aspects of the National Credit Act, therefore, plays a vital role to address sustainability and consistency of the music industry worldwide.