1 week ago
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The Jamaica Music Society (JAMMS), the national licensing body representing the rights of record producers, is collaborating with local authorities, other enforcement bodies, and agencies of the government to support the push to reach 100 per -cent island-wide compliance within the next six months.
Since 2007, event promoters across the island have had to fall in line with the legal requirement of obtaining a copyright permit from JAMMS in order to stage their events. And although compliance has grown significantly since then, the entity is ramping up measures to bring the remaining pockets of non-compliant promoters in line with the legal requirement.
“We are working strategically with all relevant authorities, to heighten enforcement, by closing all the gaps and limiting the ability of promoters to stage an event without having all the required permits,” explained Evon Mullings, CEO of JAMMS.
In order to stage an event, various approvals and permits are required, among them the parish council permit, JAMMS permit, JACAP permit and police approval, among others depending on size of the event.
JAMMS’ push for greater copyright compliance is not in isolation. The government has been increasing its emphasis on the role that cultural and creative industries can play in supporting national development. In this regard, the government has been taking steps to strengthen the legislative and regulatory framework which supports those industries.
“Strict, consistent and widespread enforcement can be the only way forward, if as a nation we are serious about respecting property rights, which includes intellectual property,” Mullings said in a press release.
He pointed out that music is categorised as an intangible form of property. Under international conventions and local laws, music rights, as a form of property, has legal owners in the same manner that tangible property does, such as a house or car, and enjoys strong legal rights and protection.
INDISPENSABLE
“As an important element for some events and the most crucial input for most, music is indispensable to event promoters and getting all event promoters to use it legally is a huge part of the mandate that JAMMS has,” Mullings added.
Official figures state that on average annually there are over 20,000 events staged in Jamaica where recorded music is played.
The release stated that non-payment of copyright fees by event promoters “severely limits the ability of the music rights owners to earn their‘pension”. In addition to events, JAMMS also licenses radio and television broadcasters, business places, such as hotels, banks, supermarkets, retail stores, bars, clubs and other commercial users of recorded music.
To date, JAMMS has distributed more than half a billions dollars to record producers, with 50 per cent of the amount being paid to international rights-owners, on account of the large volume of foreign music played in Jamaica.
English (US) ·