Physical events have been cancelled, and live performance has been relegated to the virtual space, leaving many in the creative sector facing a significant loss of income, as a result, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) met with the Collecting Societies, South African Music Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA) and Independent Music Performance Rights Association (IMPRA) to resolve the long-standing dispute on the allocation of needle time royalties.
The urgency of the matter was compounded by the challenges faced by artists during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SABC, SAMPRA and IMPRA reached consensus despite the legal dispute on the allocation of needle time royalties.
The parties agreed to embark on an arbitration process to resolve the legal dispute on the allocation of needle time royalties. These organisations will jointly develop the terms of reference to ensure a sustainable solution for the payment of needle time royalties.
In order to help bring relief to the beneficiaries of needle time royalties, the SABC decided to make an advance payment to SAMPRA and IMPRA. The SABC, SAMPRA, IMPRA, the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, will continue to work together for the growth and development of the South African music industry. As well as raising the awareness to those that may not be aware that they need to be paying for the use of artists work in public spaces.
By: Bradley Brizzy
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