BIZCHINA / Biz Media Digest
Media: Radio, TV stations to pay royalties
(chinaview.cn)
Updated: 2006-12-19 11:05
Chinese radio and TV stations are expected to pay royalties on the music
they broadcast from next year, when a set of fee collection methods and
standards will be officially promulgated.
"The methods and standards are being drawn up by the Office of
Legislative Affairs of the State Council. They are expected to be
officially promulgated next year," said an official with the National
Copyright Administration, who refused to be named.
In 2001, the government amended its copyright law, requiring radio and TV
stations to pay fees to copyright holders for playing their recordings
unless they have reached other agreements on fees.
However, specific methods and standards are yet to be set out.
The official said Wang Liping, chairman of the Music Copyright Society of
China, and Gu Jianfen, vice-chairman, had raised a motion to the
legislative National People's Congress (NPC) urging the process be
speeded up.
Wang is also a member of the NPC Standing Committee and vice-chairman of
the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy.
Senior government officials had urged a resolution of the issue as soon
as possible after learning of the motion, said the official.
He estimated that tens of billions of yuan could be collected in
royalties each year.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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