MCSK to start paying royalties this month
Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), has announced that they will be paying artiste’s royalties for Performance in Public Places (PPP) and broadcasting starting this month.
According to MCSK, the process will go on till the month of May. The society also said the payment will be done for music work broadcasted between July and December 2022.
“The Board of Directors of MCSK wishes to notify MCSK members of the following; pursuant to the provisions of articles 39 and 40 of MCSK memorandum and articles of association read with the provision of articles 15 of MCSK distribution rules, MCSK shall be distributing royalties for Performance in Public Places (PPP) and broadcasting Class effective March 2023 and to run up to May,” the notice reads in part.
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“MCSK is using log sheets and data on music usage obtained from compliant broadcasters and private monitoring services. Members whose musical works were broadcasted between July and December 2022 will be contacted and all royalties shall be transferred into each member’s preferred account.”
The society has had long-running wrangles with Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo), the regulator of Collective Management Organizations (CMOs), over royalty collection.
In January Kecobo stopped the limited company from further collection of music royalties. MCSK had applied for a new operational licence for 2023, but Kecobo declined the CMO’s application.
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The regulator faulted MCSK for contravening section 46 of the Copyright Act No. 12 of 2001 and the Copyright (Collective Management) Regulations 2020.
With the application denied, Kecobo ordered MSCK to stop collecting music royalties of its 16,000 members with immediate effect.
MCSK however, wrote to the Office of the Ombudsman (Commission on Administrative Justice) calling for the removal of Kecobo Executive Director Edward Sigei from office.
In the letter addressed to CEO Mercy Kalondu Wambua, MCSK accused Mr Sigei of high handedness and abuse of office.
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