Southern African Music Rights Organisation

Southern African Music Rights Organisation
Abbreviation SAMRO
Formation 1961
Type Not for profit
Headquarters Braamfontein, South Africa
Key people
 Rev. N.A. Sibiya, Chairman of the Board, CEO
Website www.samro.org.za

SAMRO, the Southern African Music Rights Organisation, is a copyright asset management society. It was by the South African Copyright Act,[1] and aims to protect the intellectual property of music creators by licensing music users, collecting licence fees and distributing royalties to music creators.[2] SAMRO represents more than 12,000 Southern African music composers, lyricists/authors and music publishers.[3] The organisation administers both performing rights and needle-time rights.[4]

History

The South African Music Rights Organisation (name since 1974) was formed in December 1961[5] under the chairmanship of Dr. Gideon Roos Senior,[6] a former Director-General of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).[7]

SAMRO began operations in January 1962 with 40 South African composers and 13 music publishers, taking over from the UK royalty collecting society PRS.[8] In June 1962, SAMRO was accepted as a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).[9] In the same year, Strike Vilakazi, the composer of the anti-apartheid song Meadowlands became the first black member of SAMRO.[10]

In 2012, SAMRO commemorated its 50th anniversary with a series of events, including the Builders’ Awards, which recognised musicians, staff members and others who had contributed to the organisation over the years.[11]

In 2013, SAMRO launched the Wawela Music Awards to pay tribute to South African composers who have made a significant contribution on the international and local music scene.[12]

In March 2014, SAMRO announced the transfer of its mechanical rights licensing operation to CAPASSO (Composers Authors and Publishers Association), as recommended by the 2012 Copyright Review Commission Report.[13][14]

Subsidiary organisations

SAMRO has three subsidiary business units: the SAMRO Foundation (formerly the SAMRO Endowment for the National Arts), the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO) and the Performers’ Organisation of South Africa Trust (POSA Trust).

SAMRO Foundation

The SAMRO Foundation is SAMRO’s non-profit music education and corporate social investment arm.[15] It supports industry events such as the annual MOSHITO Music Conference & Exhibition[16] in Johannesburg. The SAMRO Foundation contributes to arts education by funding the annual SAMRO Overseas Scholarship Competition, annual music study bursaries, the Gauteng and Cape Town Big Band festivals, and the SAMRO Hubert van der Spuy music competition.[17]

DALRO

DALRO, established as a wholly owned subsidiary of SAMRO in 1967, administers various aspects of copyright on behalf of book authors, visual artists and book publishers. It manages reprographic reproduction rights (photocopying from published editions), public performance rights (including stage rights for book musicals and dramas) and reproduction rights (granted for purposes of publishing or copying) in works of visual art.[18]

POSA Trust

The POSA Trust was established in 2009 to administer Needletime Rights on behalf of recording artists who assign these rights to SAMRO. Needletime Rights royalties are payable to performers/recording artists and producers when their recorded performances and sound recordings are performed publicly.[19]

Global affiliations

SAMRO has reciprocal agreements with 225 collecting societies in 150 countries allowing it to collect music royalties on behalf of its members around the world.[20]

SAMRO is a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).[21] SAMRO is involved in CISAC initiatives in Africa, including projects affiliated with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO),[22] and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).[23] SAMRO is also accredited with BIEM,[24] an organisation coordinating statutory license agreements among different countries.

SAMRO is associated with industry trade fairs and music showcases such as MIDEM in France and the World Music Expo (WOMEX), as well as with bodies such as the South African Music Export Council (SAMEX).[25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Copyright Act of 1978". South Africa.
  2. ↑ "Company Profile". SAMRO.
  3. ↑ "Annual Report" (PDF). SAMRO. 2012. p. 4.
  4. ↑ POSA (Performers' Organization of South Africa). "Needletime Rights".
  5. ↑ "CISAC: 50 Years of Protecting Intellectual Property Rights". Billboard: C–44. November 6, 1976.
  6. ↑ "Gideon Roos". South African History Online.
  7. ↑ Crook, Tim (2002). International Radio Journalism. Routledge. p. 62.
  8. ↑ "CISAC: 50 Years of Protecting Intellectual Property Rights". Billboard: C–44. November 6, 1976.
  9. ↑ Mojapelo, Max (2008). Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. African Minds. p. 24.
  10. ↑ Mojapelo, Max (2008). Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. African Minds. pp. 24–25.
  11. ↑ "SAMRO Celebrates Legacy with Builders' Awards". BizCommunity. July 2, 2012.
  12. ↑ Mathe, Sam (March 12, 2013). "Samro unveils categories for first Wawela Awards".
  13. ↑ "CAPASSO -The Mechanical Rights hub launched at Music Exchange '14". SAMRO. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  14. ↑ "CAPASSO - FAQs" (PDF). CAPASSO.
  15. ↑ "About Us". SAMRO Foundation.
  16. ↑ "Moshito Music Conference & Exhibition".
  17. ↑ "Flagship Projects". SAMRO Foundation.
  18. ↑ "About Us". DALRO.
  19. ↑ Matzukis, Nick. "The Great South African Needletime Debacle -- Part 1". Music Industry Online.
  20. ↑ "Company Profile". SAMRO Foundation.
  21. ↑ "Annual Report". CISAC. 2012.
  22. ↑ Coetzer, Diane (31 January 2009). "Pay Pal". Billboard.
  23. ↑ "Cultural Diversity in Focus at Convention". SAMRO. 21 October 2011.
  24. ↑ "Annual Report" (PDF). SAMRO. 2007.
  25. ↑ "Licensed to Play". SAMRO Foundation. January 2013.