Needletime rights introduced to South Africa

Needletime refers to a performer’s right to receive a royalty for the broadcast, to the public, of a sound recording embodying a performer’s performance. With the introduction of the Performer’s Protection Act, the amendment of the Copyright Act and the promulgation of the Regulations on the Establishment of Collecting Societies in the Music Industry, performers are now entitled to a royalty for their performance embodied in a sound recording. These royalties may be collected by the performer and/or copyright owner or, alternatively, on behalf of the copyright owner and performer(s) by a “collection society” who administers their rights. The latest development in this law is the recent accreditation of SAMRO (South African Music Rights Organisation) as a collection society for needletime rights royalties. Collecting societies collect royalties from broadcasters and distribute the monies to the performers and copyright owners as per an agreement between the parties. Previously, the SA Copyright Act protected only copyright owners (usually the recording company) and royalties claimed were paid to the copyright owner of the sound recording and not the performer.

Does anyone know what the applicable royalty rates are for needletime rights? Is it possible to benchmark?

For a short history of needletime rights click here.

Some tatoo artists have been arguing that their customers also deserve needle time compensation...