Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) and Zylofon Art Fund (ZAF) in collaboration with International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) has urged media houses to go without music for up to two hours today.
Media houses, especially those dominating the airwaves with entertainment content such as Hitz FM, will not play any song during their Daybreak Hitz morning show.
In an interview with Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Zylofon Art Fund (ZAF), Frank Kwabena Owusu, also known as Franky 5, he stated that the “No Music Day” is a day set aside to recognize the importance of music in our everyday lives.
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No song will be played across the African continent for about two hours between the hours of 8:00 to 10:00 am, to mark the promotion and protection of copyright and neighbouring rights of right holders for the use of their works.
“Due to the low patronage of media houses paying royalties to musicians, GHAMRO and ZAF in collaboration with CISAC will use this course to make them aware, the essence of payment of royalties,” he said at a press conference today.
The PRO of GHAMRO and host of U Sey Wetin on Hitz FM, Prince Tsegah has supported the motive, stressing it will make the people aware that they cannot live without music hence the need for the required institutions and individuals to pay their debts owed to move the music industry up the ladder.
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“It’s being done in the whole of Africa. It’s to recognize the importance of music in our everyday life. People don’t like paying for the use of music. So, it’s a test to let people appreciate intellectual property. Creativity is underrated in Africa and even Ghanaian musicians even upload music for free,” he said.’
Prince further urged other media institutions to pay mind to the headline as those who go against it will be liable to a charge.
Background of institutions involved:
GHAMRO, like all other copyright societies, is a non-profit corporate body, therefore, all fees collected are distributed among right owners whose works have been used, in this instance composers, authors and producers, publishers in proportion to the use made of their works.
Zylofon Art Fund (ZAF) is a scheme structured to support the various creative arts arms of the Nation both locally and internationally, to boost the prominence of the Arts and Tourisms in Ghana. ZAF is a credit relief fund with a non-interest mission.
CISAC protects the rights and promotes the interests of creators worldwide. CISAC is the world’s leading network of authors’ societies. With 238-member societies in 121 countries, CISAC represents more than 4 million creators from all geographic areas and all artistic repertoires; music, audio-visual, drama, literature and visual arts. CISAC enables collective management organisations to seamlessly represent creators across the globe and ensure that royalties flow to authors for the use of their works anywhere in the world.