Corporate companies, broadcasters, matatus, politicians, bars among others users of music works will pay for only a single licence that will be issued by any of the three collective management organisations (CMO).
This is after Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP), Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) and Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) were issued a single license to collect copyright and related works license fees by Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO).
This is expected to reduce non-compliance in payment of fees, reduce operation costs and increase payouts to members.
Prior, businesses were required to get a licence from all three bodies. In return, businesses complained of being overcharged to play music including administration charges to all CMOs.
“We are working together to ensure more users comply and rights of artists and performers are upheld. MCSK also have a new board that will ensure it adheres to good corporate governance,” MCSK chairman Japheth Kassanga said.
There are more than 33 tariffs paid depending on percentage of music content in daily programming and geographical coverage. These range from radio stations to sale of songs in form of ring tones or caller ringback tones.
The CMO has begun plans to set a digital platform to enhance licensing and ensure precise distribution of royalties to authors and composers.
The three CMOs also signed a commitment document to distribute 70 per cent of revenues collected to artists, which trickle down to authors, composers, publishers and producers while the organisations retain 30 per cent.
In 2017,the Attorney General approved new tariffs requiring for instance, public transport vehicles to pay a maximum of between Sh30,700 and Sh36,550 and a minimum of between Sh9,950 and Sh12,950 per year for the licences.
