The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) calls on members of the creative industry and the public to submit their views and recommendations to the Copyright Review Commission (CRC) regarding the collection and distribution of royalties by collecting societies. The CRC was established by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, following concerns that were raised by artists that royalties are not properly distributed to the rightful owners of copyright by collecting societies. The CRC is led by the retired honourable Judge Ian Farlam and the members are Mr Oupa Lebogo, Professor Musa Xulu, Mr Nala Mhlongo, Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs and Professor Tana Pistorius.
The CRC will look at and make recommendations on various aspects of the concerns, including the framework for regulation of collecting societies, contracts that exist in the industry, percentages of royalties that are distributed locally and internationally, as well as issues relating to downloading of music through mobile phones and ringtones.
The CRC will operate for six (6) months from February to July 2011. In order to gather as much views as possible on the subject matter for the CRC process, the dti has published a call for submissions for members of the public to submit written submissions on the relevant issues. The CRC will hold public hearings in April 2011. Dates and venues will be announced shortly.
The dti encourages all relevant stakeholders to participate in this process in order for the CRC to objectively asses and analyse the concerns and make recommendations that will bring about a lasting solution to the concerns of artists.
Comments must be submitted to the dti by 31 March 2011, as follows:
Consumer and Corporate Regulation Division (CCRD)
1st Floor, Block B, Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria
Private Bag X 84, Pretoria. 0001
Fax: +27 12 394 2506
E-mail: crc@thedti.gov.za
More details on the terms of referenceand guidance are available on the dti website.
For more information contact:
Bongani Lukhele
Tel: 012 394 1643
Cell: 074 299 8512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedti.gov.za
Source: Department of Trade and Industry
