Music Corporation Frowns at non-payment of Copyright Fees

The CMC agents acting in accordance with the law, have been seizing equipment used by some companies.

Officials of the Cameroon Music Corporation, CMC, have frowned at some enterprises, for failing to comply with the law related to the protection of the rights of authors. The law ensures the protection of all literary or artistic works, irrespective of the mode, worth, genre or purpose of the expression. These includes literary works, such as, computer programmes, music,with or without lyrics, artworks created for the stage, audiovisual works, paintings, drawing; wood carving, sculptures, architectural works, tapestries, maps and arts objects.

According to CMC officials, the enterprises use these artistic works in one way or the other to promote their activities. Example which were given include the sound which some companies used for their telephones on hold, paintings on their walls for decoration, computer programmes, like media player, which is music played through the computer…

Presently CMC, in a note signed by the Communication and Public Relation Officer, Manfred Moumi, stated that a big petroleum station in Cameroon which CMC claims does not pay the rights of authors, uses mobile caravans to advertise, using CMC and SACEM products, (a foreign sister corporation). The Regional Director of CMC, Aimé Sadou, has warned the enterprise to stop using their products. According to Moumi, the lawyers of some of these enterprises mislead them since they are not well informed. He added that the dividends have no fixed rate and could be negotiated.

In a letter dated May 15, 2007, the Minister of State in charge of Culture informed Director Generals of big enterprises about the payment of copyrights, he reminded those who challenge the copyrights law and also of the risks involved in ignoring it. He stated that it is contrary to government’s policy. The Law of 19, December 2000, states that the failure to pay or unjustified late payment of the fee as provided by the law is considered as forgery.

The letter further states that the law was not introduced by the Government but that it is an International Convention which Cameroon has ratified. According to the letter, the minister states that, the aim is not to frighten the enterprises but help them understand the need of paying the fee. By this he said government according to article 4 and 5 of Law of 13th January 2006, has simplified the system such that the fees are negotiated with the CMC agents. But once they have done so, payment becomes obligatory and late payment will not be tolerated.

EFFA TAMBENKONGHO