The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the nation’s sole government approved collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings has announced that come October 1, 2010, the era of free music on Nigerian air waves and in public places will be gone forever. The announcement was made by COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, at the Boardroom of the society in Lagos during the signing of a royalty collection agreement between COSON and Olusola Adekanola & Co, one of the nation’s foremost indigenous firms of chartered accountants.

By the agreement, the skills and resources of the two organizations are being aggregated to ensure that starting October 1, no organization using music in a commercial setting or in public anywhere in Nigeria is allowed to do so without the payment of copyright royalties as required by law. According to Okoroji, “The time has finally come for everyone to do their duty. We have respected the users of music. We expect them to reciprocate that respect. Any of them that is not licensed by October 1 may be attracting sanctions from us or will be exposed to the full weight of the other tools in our tool box”

At the agreement signing ceremony during the week, Chief Okoroji said that the choice of Olusola Adekanola & Co for the COSON assignment was based on the firm’s proven capacity to deliver. He said that their mandate is to use their nationwide infrastructure to reach every nook and cranny of Nigeria and collect the money due to long suffering Nigerian copyright owners. He added that beyond the collection of revenue, COSON is very mindful of the prudent, professional and transparent management of the copyright royalties collected so that at the end of the day the real copyright owners are not short changed.

The implication of the new regime is that from October 1 all broadcast media organisations, hotels, restaurants, event venues, advertising companies, banks, telecoms establishments, airlines, road transporters, oil companies and such other enterprises in Nigeria which use music in any way to aid their operations will be made to comply with the Copyright Act or face legal consequences.


source : http://beep-me..com/2010/09/no-more-free-music-on-air-from-october.html

No problem. Means no more publicity for this musicians again

COSON? which one be COSON? I thought it was Charlie Boys group that run the music stuff? Which 1 com be coson, bosom

How much are we talking about here

mscheeew

How much are we talking about here

mscheeew

Ope o, Nella don hammer!! When they play those your two hit singles, you know how much that is?

;d ;d ;d ;d

I dnt get it. Radio stations wld nw hv to pay artistes in order to play deir songs on d radio?

CLASSIFYD:

I dnt get it. Radio stations wld nw hv to pay artistes in order to play deir songs on d radio?

yes that's what it means. Our naija artistes are being ripped off e don tey.

toba:

No problem. Means no more publicity for this musicians again

you're wrong. No Music=No listeners/viewers=No Advert placement=No income=Bankruptcy

It's not like these media peeps don't know what they're supposed to do it's just because there's no regulatory body on ground to control n coordinate the royalties.

This is a very good development.

frijos:

yes that's what it means. Our naija artistes are being ripped off e don tey.

you're wrong. No Music=No listeners/viewers=No Advert placement=No income=Bankruptcy

It's not like these media peeps don't know what they're supposed to do it's just because there's no regulatory body on ground to control n coordinate the royalties.

This is a very good development.

The artistes need the radio stations more than the radio stations need them. You'll find that the artistes will be the ones who will go and offer the stations their works and waive their rights to royalties. If their songs are not played on radio, no one will hear their music and no one will invite them for shows (which is where they make their money really). If they do a cost benefit analysis, they'll know which side their bread is buttered.

Lawyachap real talk!

Lawya correct. . . People dnt go to shws as much as they used to and with d advent of d internet, dem wan revert back to earning peanuts b dat naaa.

Me thinks that radio stations will have to crosscheck their priorities and finally churn out more educative programmes on their airtime instead of blasting free music all day long. Na now wey we go know which station be betta radio station, Maybe the radio presenters'd spend more time talking about people-related issues for starters.
I feel for everyone, Frm wack dj's to wack artistes to hollow-minded radio personalities, E go harsh for all man o!

For where??. . . I bet those artiste are d one dat 'll beggin those radio stations. . . . Lets face it, i dnt see any radio statn paying those guys jare. . . I think we're goin back to those days we listen to foreign jams alone on radio. Thats my fear for naija music industry!

Great idea (if backed by honest intentions/good faith) . . .

The artistes might suffer in the short run, but if they hold on, they'll be the better for it . . . might be a strange development to Nigerians, but this is the case in developed countries . . . and Fela (being the icon he was) did not tolerate the free broadcast of his songs . . .

Enforcement is another issue though - Nigeria is well-known for churning out regulations that don't get implemented/enforced.

I tink piracy should b tackled i.e to its minimal b4 dis development,i welcom it but 1st tins 1st.gudluck.eeeezz