Copyrights enforcers in the Caribbean got a huge boost when a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between them and internationally recognized copyrights owners and protectors.
The MOU was signed between The Association of Caribbean Copyright Societies (ACCS) and the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers Of Music (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), SESAC, and the Performing Rights Society (PRS) at a two-day retreat in St. Lucia.
As part of the understanding the Anglo-American societies will provide technical assistance including, where necessary, financial and legal assistance with litigation to its Caribbean counterpart.
The agreement also called for the Anglo-American Societies to provide the Caribbean Societies with up to date data management tools particularly to improve the management of the core functions of documentation and distribution.
Training of the staff of ACCS societies in the use of these tools will be an integral part of the package of assistance to be delivered jointly by The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and the Anglo-American Societies to the Caribbean Societies.
The retreat was was initiated with the aim of facilitating greater cooperation among the Caribbean Societies and the Anglo-American societies in the licensing of music users in the Caribbean.
Of particular concern was the low rate of compliance with the legal requirement of broadcasters in radio, TV and cable providers to obtain licences from the local societies for all the music used in their programming no matter its source.
Mc Carthy Marie chairman of the Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation for Music Rights (ECCO) said that it is expected that with assistance of the Anglo-American societies and CISAC that there will be a significant reduction in the ratio of administration costs to revenue caused mainly by a significant increase in revenue collection, particularly from the electronic media — Cable TV, Terrestrial TV, Radio and online uses such as streaming, downloads and website enhancement using music.
“These increases in efficiency will redound to the benefit of the world-wide community of musical creators including those from the Caribbean,” Marie said.
ACCS is made up of COTT from Trinidad and Tobago, JACAP from Jamaica, COSCAP from Barbados and ECCO of the OECS.
ASCAP, BMI and SESAC jointly manage and licence the performing right in the world’s repertoire of copyright music in the United States while PRS does the same in The United Kingdom.
Napster, Gnutella, Freenet, Grokster, Madster eDonkey, limewire, Kazaa, BitTorrent, Poisoned, Morpheus, LimeWire, eMule, Suprnova, isoHunt, TorrentSpy, iMesh just to name a few peer-to-peer file sharing options that have been around.
Whenever one is shut down, two are started to take its place.
The act of file sharing itself is not illegal and peer-to-peer networks are also used for legitimate purposes.
So we want authentic Nike and addidas, rockawear and derion but we pirating our local music…. is it ok to pay these multimillionaires more money but our local artists should starve…. bravo people bravo…
stupes north all u have to do
Yeah? With you and what army?
If you gonna charge one person for copyright, you have to charge over 500 million people on the earth for downloading pirating music too… Start in your own damn countries first… They’re the one hosting it lol… smh.
hehehehhe, maybe copyright protector could make small walk across Roseau and see fake nike and burberry goods in chinese shops, pirate music sold on every corner, videos etc etc….what cooperation do you facilitate sitting in your 350USD per night hotel and signing documents which will be impossible to enforce in the Caribbean reality, aaa?
Well maybe if that is going on the rep for ECCO in Dominica not doing his job…cause by right it is illegal to be selling pirate music especially local music….
Guess what… I can now turn around and say.. “I dont need to listen to ur crap… THis CD/DVD was burned before your act took place”
Also: I did not agree to this signing… do u see my signature there?
All d money dem cud make gonna go in d hands of them pigs. =_= take a long look at that picture, cuz wen u brokes, is dem.
How is it that we can learn the conditions of all MoU’s except the one between Dominica and China ??
We might need to do some hacking and get to it
Watch your thoughts and comments on this, because i am sure you will agree the writers and composers have to earn some money from their music. Now that’s just one of the ways they can do it.
If this anything like the RIAA, if [irates are to be targeted, the organization itself will take the bulk of all funds in any lawsuit case, while the victim (the artist/producer) will get quass change. Messed up system.
That’s because it’s not meant to protect the artist in the first place. The system is designed to make a few rich off of a band’s or an artist’s work.
please… we didn’t want to buy your music in the first place what makes you think we would want to buy it now? i’ll wait til the radio start to play it
some people just want to watch the world burn
wrong… ppl wanna see each other burn. foolish ppl…
**I KNOW I WILL GET STICK FOR THAT ONE**
ECCO has to come better than that. Music from the Eastern Caribbean States are just not up to par and these musicians and producers if anything should be happy that their music are being played on radio and television stations and also in the clubs by DJs. With the exception of Barbados none of these islands produce quality music that can make its mark on the international scene. Lyrics are poor and the production and assemblance of the music is way below par.
In New York, if you hear music from KKK, WCK (except Balance Batty), Red Hot Flames, Burning Flames, Small Axe or Square One at a party or on the radio you should buy a lottery ticket because today is your lucky day. We beg DJs to play small island music when we go to parties and now ECCO want to ask for music rights.
I say DJs, radio and Television stations should stop playing their music….Hit them where it hurts…
i support you:the music is not like the before.the lyrics are indeed poor:repitition and shouting all over the place.yes hit them where it hurts.we need conscious radio dj’s.music is a form of education!
Now we’re getting somewhere. The technical assistance and database management expertise is much needed.
As a producer and song-writer I understand the ins and out of copyright ownership quite well as this is the business I’m in. But there needs to be a broader program for educating the general public.
im sure your music sucks anyways…aint nobody gonna be bootlegging your earhurt
Kudos to your ignorance.
Performance Rights Organizations like ECCO, BMI and ASCAP do a lot more than worry about typical “pirates.” These organizations ensure that Pat Aaron (for example) gets paid when his song is played on the radio, performed at the WCMF, streamed online, or performed in another public venue anywhere in the world.
And your comment about my earhurt is one of the reasons why artists like Ophelia, Michelle and Jeff Jo had to basically turn their back on the local audience. Here it is that you haven’t even listened to my music, but you’re so quick to thrash it.
Like it or not, a song – even after you’ve bootlegged the CD or bought it legally – is not YOUR property. That song belongs to the writer(s) and you’re merely licensed to enjoy the music in a private setting (for personal use).
Without organizations like ECCO, it would be near impossible for many artists (legends like Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, etc) to live and to CONTINUE making that music you love.
Cheers
@My2Sense
If you didn’t want to share your music with the public you could have just kept it to yourself.
So few people understand the purpose with which copyright laws were created. It was intended to prevent plagiarism, copying of other people’s content and labelling it as your own etc. It was never meant to turn artistic expression in a commodity.
But it’s ok because the people who actually make good music are more concerned about people appreciating their music than about how much they can gain from it. The people overly charged with the ‘make big bucks’ and ‘get famous’ ideas are the ones who make shit new wave rap aongs and r & b crap. Most of you rip off other artists beats, melodies and progressions anyway. Few of these fame-hounds would know how to put together something artistic even if an instrument hit them smack in the face.
i hope musicians can make some real money now with this information!!!
that’s right…as an upcoming music producer this should benefit me..
COME AT ME BRO!!@!@! Ima Pirate for life
you are a ‘tlffa o’ music’. We’ll sink ur pirate ship soon
LOLLing
See how dem try Sink ships in d Caribbean. So much for dwnld free port of the world. Ohhh, forgot to mention, D/ca have it hackers, lul.
You are a pirate until the US FBI determines that certain pirating was being done from your ISP address and they take legal action against you for infringement of rights. Go ahead. You are a pirate until you get catch.
not isp address its ip address
Lol you need to go download some books and learn how to write properly. And you really believe the FBI would come all the way to the Caribbean to arrest someone for pirating? The term extra-judiciary mean anything to you? And lmao at the ISP address comment. You mean IP address right? Lol noob.