Plot Thickens in Royalty Payout Saga

ONLY a few musicians submitted their proof of unpaid royalties to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology after a call out for proof in order to intervene in the current battle between musicians and the Namibia Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam).

The ministry called for the submission two weeks ago after enquiries by The Weekender with regards to unpaid royalties. The ministry responded with the call saying that they can only intervene and take action once official complaints have been made.

Nascam, which was established under the Sections 55-57 the Namibian Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection Act 6 of 1994, was given the statutory mandate to collectively administer copyright in musical works in Namibia and beyond.

DJ KBoz told The Weekender that he and his wife, musician Sally, did not submit anything to the ministry because they have been receiving their royalties from their music being played on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation.

When asked about royalties from other radio stations, DJ KBoz said that although they knew their music was being played on other radio stations, they had no proof on paper as they only get an NBC log sheet from Nascam.

“It is very important for the musicians who do not receive royalties to submit their proof. As for Sally, we have been receiving but just from NBC,” KBoz said.

An industry stakeholder who did not want to be mentioned said that although a lot of blame has been put on Nascam in this whole royalty payout mess, the Namibia Music Industry Union should share the blame.

The source said the non-existence of a union in practice and only on paper has pushed Nascam into taking on duties that are not theirs and them failing to serve their purpose or the duties they take on.

“We only have a union in name. The union has never done their job,” the source said, adding that a lot of musicians will not talk freely as they fear victimisation.

Charlie 100 of the Namibia Music Industry Union admitted that Namibian musicians are at the receiving end of serious disorganisation in the industry.

“Our musicians are really suffering with this whole royalties payout thing,” Charlie 100 said.

He added that the royalties payouts will remain a problem until Nascam decides to invest in establishing a monitoring system that works.

“The software exists, it is here in Windhoek. Nascam just needs to purchase it and start using it to make sure that musicians are paid what is due to them.”

He further said that the current log sheet system will never work properly as it will never record the exact times musicians work is being played.

“A song can play 20 times on the radio and the DJ can decide to only enter it as having played 10 times on the log sheet,” Charlie 100 said.

When asked whether the union is doing their part in supporting the musicians, Charlie 100 said that as much as the union wants to assist, the musicians are failing to follow procedure in raising their grievances so that the union can take action.

“We have a WhatsApp group where the musicians can raise their complaints but we can only take these matters up if they write official letters of complaint and give us concrete evidence of them not being paid their royalties.

“Unfortunately it sometimes just ends with the complaints on the group and no follow up with the official grievance.”

Charlie maintained that throwing around blame will not solve the problem and that in order to give musicians what is due to them, a proper monitoring system will record every single time a musicians work is played.

Meanwhile, a number of musicians have taken to social media once again to render their concerns audible on the non payment of royalties being played on jukeboxes.

“Jukebox owners are paying licences to Nascam for playing our music. We just want to know what happens to the royalties collected there as we do not receive a single cent,” KBoz said.

Nascam chief executive officer John Max was not available for comment at the time of going to print.