The 1964 Copyright Act protects all
Dec 27, 2004
I wish to commend Mr. Isaac Tabu for his well thought out article on the plight of artistes with regard to their rights in the works they create.
By James Wasula
I wish to commend Mr. Isaac Tabu for his well thought out article on the plight of artistes with regard to their rights in the works they create.
However, I must point out from the onset that actually the Copyright Act, Cap 215 of 1964 grants protection to all authors, whether nationals or residents of Uganda or not, provided they are from member countries of the Universal Copyright Convention, Guinea or Mali. The World Trade Organisation’s TRIPS Agreement extends this scope to all countries of the WTO.
Uganda, through Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) has received assistance from international organisations like the United Nation’s World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Confederation of International Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).
The two bodies have launched Uganda into the International Protection Network whereby, our artistes’ works exploited anywhere in the world can be tracked and royalties collected and remitted to the copyright owner.
Locally, radio station owners have shown great cooperation in the implementation of the law. They are agreeable to paying royalties for the music they use. The music publishers too, are willing to remit royalties accruing from mechanical rights to the copyright owners.
Right now UPRS, under the direction of IPI, BIEM and SUISA is developing classes of copyright owners like music work, literary work, dramatic work, etc; roles of copyright owners and a detailed description of the economic use of the copyright like performing rights, radio broadcasts, etc to streamline collection and distribution of royalties.
Once operational, the system will provide adequate documentation to protect authors against misunderstandings as pointed out by Mr. Tabu. The system will be able to identify who did what in that particular composition.
To fight infringing copies of music works on the market, CISAC and the Copyright Society of Ghana, are undertaking the implementation of the banderol system in Uganda, which will require all legitimate copies of music works on the market, in whatever form, to be authenticated by UPRS.
Implementation of the system is expected to be early next year and UPRS is working closely with the Music Publishers Association in this regard.
The United Nations, through its various specialised organisations and agencies is working to ensure that the social welfare of musicians is adequately protected and their economic status improved.
The writer is the General Secretary,
Uganda Performing Rights Society
I wish to commend Mr. Isaac Tabu for his well thought out article on the plight of artistes with regard to their rights in the works they create.
However, I must point out from the onset that actually the Copyright Act, Cap 215 of 1964 grants protection to all authors, whether nationals or residents of Uganda or not, provided they are from member countries of the Universal Copyright Convention, Guinea or Mali. The World Trade Organisation’s TRIPS Agreement extends this scope to all countries of the WTO.
Uganda, through Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) has received assistance from international organisations like the United Nation’s World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Confederation of International Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).
The two bodies have launched Uganda into the International Protection Network whereby, our artistes’ works exploited anywhere in the world can be tracked and royalties collected and remitted to the copyright owner.
Locally, radio station owners have shown great cooperation in the implementation of the law. They are agreeable to paying royalties for the music they use. The music publishers too, are willing to remit royalties accruing from mechanical rights to the copyright owners.
Right now UPRS, under the direction of IPI, BIEM and SUISA is developing classes of copyright owners like music work, literary work, dramatic work, etc; roles of copyright owners and a detailed description of the economic use of the copyright like performing rights, radio broadcasts, etc to streamline collection and distribution of royalties.
Once operational, the system will provide adequate documentation to protect authors against misunderstandings as pointed out by Mr. Tabu. The system will be able to identify who did what in that particular composition.
To fight infringing copies of music works on the market, CISAC and the Copyright Society of Ghana, are undertaking the implementation of the banderol system in Uganda, which will require all legitimate copies of music works on the market, in whatever form, to be authenticated by UPRS.
Implementation of the system is expected to be early next year and UPRS is working closely with the Music Publishers Association in this regard.
The United Nations, through its various specialised organisations and agencies is working to ensure that the social welfare of musicians is adequately protected and their economic status improved.
The writer is the General Secretary,
Uganda Performing Rights Society