Radio And TV Stations Commit To Pay Artists’ For Using Their Music.

The members of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) have committed to payment of royalties for the use of musical works of members of Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) with effect from July 1, 2021.

This was one of the seven resolutions arrived at in the communication made at the order of key stakeholders on Wednesday at a meeting convened by Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) at Gulu City.

This matter of the communiqué was in respect to harmonisation of the payment of royalties and in compliance with the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, 2006.

The resolutions were made between the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS), Uganda National Culture Centre (UNCC), National Culture Forum (NCF) and National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).

Other Resolutions were;

UPRS shall apply the concessional rates as negotiated with NAB in 2016.

UPRS shall consider group-rates for holding media companies that shall be communicated to NAB.

Whereas NAB proposed that all outstanding arrears be waived by UPRS, UPRS shall revert upon further consultations with all stakeholders. However, this shall not negate the implementation of the foregoing resolutions.

URSB shall formally communicate to UCC and NAB regarding the reorganization and regulation of UPRS.

In respect to monitoring and usage of UPRS members’ works, UCC and UPRS shall determine a realistic and fair mechanism.

The statement was whence signed by seven representatives from each participating body. These were; Kin Kariisa (Chairman, NAB), Daniel Kazibwe aka Ragga Dee (Chairman, NCF), Mercy K. Kainobwisho (Registrar General, URSB), Meddie Kaggwa (Head Multimedia and Content, UCC), Kabiito Karamagi (Board Chairman, UPRS), Lucy Otto (On behalf of the minister, MGLSD) and Peter Francis Ojede (Executive Director, UNCC).

It should be noted that according to the UPRS website, registered artists should be given royalties with a base fee of 200,000 Shillings before including the rating obtained by given content.

However, artists have over the years pushed to get these monies but all attempts have always been swallowed up by futility. Karamagi, the acting Chief Executive Officer of UPRS earlier noted that they were trying to iron out institutional challenges and ensure that artists earn from their content.

This engaged URSB in developing systems that would enable them to monitor broadcasters and other people who commercially use artists’ content so that they coerce them to pay. Only when all come to pass as agitated for, will artists wear a smile on their faces. Fingers crossed.