MUMBAI: Stakeholders of the entertainment and broadcast industries met at the ‘Roundtable Discussion on Copyrights Issues- Implications for Media and Entertainment industry’ to discuss the impact of the Copyright Amendment Act which came into law in June 2012 on films, music, broadcasting and legal system along with the roadmap for the industry.
The one-day meet organised by the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) was attended by delegates such as Ministry of Human Resource Development, Registrar Copyright director GR Raghavender, Music Director and Singers Association CEO Sanjay Tandon, India Music Industry (IMI) president Vijay Lazarus and lyricist and writer Javed Akthar.
“The Act was based on international models of how royalties are channelised around the world. Achieving uniformity among the stakeholders was difficult. The delay was due to the cabinet’s decision to talk to all the stakeholders. It was a balancing act between economic right and public interest,” Registrar Copyright director GR Raghavender said.
A divided panel mulled over on how the Copyright Act’s directives- that include copyright royalties, legalities of agreements and combating piracy- could be implemented.
IMI president Lazarus voiced his concern over the framing of certain clauses in the Act which could be interpreted differently.
“The downside of the Act is that different interpretation can be made which will lead to litigations. The solution is for stakeholders to sit down and decide within the parameters of the law. These are business decisions and if the model is not inclusive, it is not good. The pie should be increased and shared. I find that the Act is not sufficient to strengthen and control piracy. Only 7-8 per cent of the total of consumed music is monetised in India. The three-strike law on piracy that was introduced in France could be implemented in India.”
Although no ‘illegal’ agreements were signed, the law was not clear enough, he added.
Countering Lazarus’ view, Akthar said despite the Copyright Act being in place to protect vulnerable stakeholders like the artists, many ‘illegal’ agreements- which forced new artists to forfeit their royalty rights- continued to be signed.
“The problem with the industry is we have evolved into a corporate society but our mindset is yet to develop a sense of equality that will ensure the rewards are shared by all. The feudal mindset of (certain) stakeholders will continue the exploitation of artists and deprive them of their rightful share,” he said.
“It is because of this kind of exploitation that the Copyright law has come into being- to protect the artists. Why are there laws for women, child labour? It is because they are exploited. Similarly, the artists need protection from the state. Artists are as good as bonded labour. We will all have to learn the hard way,” he added.