Pretoria - The Copyright Review Commission, appointed to review concerns raised by the music industry regarding the collection and distribution of royalties to artists, has completed and presented its report to Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Rob Davies.
The commission, appointed by Davies in November 2010, originates from the Anti-Piracy Campaign launched by Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Thandi Tobias-Pokolo in September 2010 after the creative industry, in particular musicians, met with President Jacob Zuma to highlight their plight.
The Anti-Piracy Campaign was divided into three legs namely, Anti-Piracy Awareness Campaign, Copyright Review Commission and Formalisation of the Industry.
Soon after its establishment, the commission published its Terms of Reference and made a call for the public to comment.
The six-member commission, which is chaired by retired Judge Ian Farlam started operating in February 2011, where public hearings were held in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Potchefstroom, Johannesburg and Durban.
Members of the commission also undertook an international bench-marking exercise by visiting seven foreign countries to obtain comparative material to assist them to make recommendations based on international best practice.
"Meetings were also held and information obtained from key stakeholders in the industry such as collecting societies, broadcast associations, record companies, network operators, musicians and TV and radio stations," the Trade and Industry Department said.
The department said the report was still under consideration and would be released to the public in due course.
