Emmanuel Ukudolo l Sunday, December 08, 2019
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Collective Management Organisations(CMOs) have been told to adopt the digital mindset if they must survive in the age of digitisation.
Former Director General, National Broadcasting Commission(NBC), Mr. Emeka Mba made the observation while delivering a lecture on “Strengthening the collective management of copyright in Nigeria in the new era”, as part of activities to mark COSON Week in Lagos.
He said the digital era has fundamentally changed the status quo. “It is not just revolutionary, it is evolutionary”, he said, adding that it requires a new mindset and new tools in order to deal with the challenges and opportunities it presents.
and Muma G
It is not possible to use paradigms and mindset solidly etched in the age of analogue in a digital era, he explained. According to him, content created through digital devices are now shared digitally and he asked if the Copyright Society of Nigeria(COSON) has a digital DNA. He said the music industry was different in 1999 when laws were made to deal with copyright matters as it relates to music.
He said people now use mobile devices which is far reaching, stressing that 10 years ago, you will have to buy records physically to be able to listen to music and wonders if CMOs are set to maximise the huge returns available in the digital era.
According to him, treating digital symptoms with analogue diagnostic tools remain a major problem but that understanding how the digital era shapes the musical sector is fundamental to maximising returns in the new era.
“As a CMO, do you have the tools to deal with these challenges of the digital world,” he queried. Emeka Mba alluded to Uber that has a market share of $60 billion much more than General Motors even when it has no vehicle and AirBandB.
He said these companies are making it in the digital age because they create more values.
“In the real sense, the musicians should be the winners in the digital world”, he said. Quoting International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers(CISAC), he said CISAC has called on all CMOs worldwide to react accordingly to meet with rights holders as well as DSPS particularly with regard to data processing and digital revenue distribution.
He commended COSON for acting in line based on its interaction with MTN but that navigating the digital word is the most vital issue for creators today and he asked COSON and CMOs generally to fix the flaws so as to be able to unlock the digital potentials.
“Do you have technological tools to enable you to know what is going on in the market. Before now, you have record labels, now there are middle men who call themselves content aggregators who you did not deal with before and they are coming up, he said, adding that COSON and other CMOs must use instrument of law to put themselves at an advantageous position.
According to him, copyright management is changing and that the trend now is to follow the money, tech companies, entrepreneurs, government, regulations and consumer trends etc. He said people now download songs and movies in flash drives go overseas and mass produce and in the process making use of the Nigerian Customs Service as gatekeeper futile in the digital age.
He suggested the need for light touch regulations to make it amenable to changes in the light of a rapid digital transformation. According to him, DCEM has predicted that Nigerian music will generate $50 million in 2020.
He said COSON did well with the millions of Naira it has made for members over the years but that COSON needs to do more in a digital era to be able to get more. According to him, digital data can be verified and that content owners now have the ability to track, monitor and predict their share of revenues.
Quoting one of such content aggregators, he said Dolapo Amusat, said radio remains a very weak link because the operators are not transparent in their reporting of airplays including CMOs. Stressing the need for regulation, he said internet penetration in Nigeria is poor due to the high cost of data.
“CMOs are still standing but they need to reinvent themselves. Your job is still important, CMOs still vital in the digital age but something could happen if there is no reinvention in COSON or other CMOs”, adding that there is a need to provide service with transparency and accountability otherwise others will take over their responsibility
“It must be efficient, transparent and accountable. Use technology to your advantage”, he said, adding that though there is peace now between COSON and Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria(MCSN), he said it should not be peace in graveyard but that there is the need for both CMOs to synergise for the benefit of practitioners
He also advocated for a National Idea Strategy, since ideas rule the world. According to him the value of IP will grow but that those who protect them will grow faster. He urged CMOs to watch out for international trade relations and regulations, like WIPO etc.
He recommended that the Nigerian Copyright Commission(NCC) should take steps to constitute a body of experts to review operations of CMOs for confidence building among stakeholders and for increased transparency
“Review current process of collection and distribution, enforcement , current regulation with possession of right skill set to function,” he said, adding that a regulator that is not well resourced and does not know its work can somehow overstep its bounds.
“CMOs must reinvent itself to become relevant, adopt digital DNA to be relevant” in the digital age.
Those present at the event are Prof. Egerton Ovieghara, Professor Victor Uwaifo, Muma G, Sir Shina Peters, Patrick Doyle, Chris Mbah, Felis Odeh(Joromi),Dr. Clinton Jack, DG Chairman, Governing Board, NCC and Chairman Board of Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria, Mahmoud Ali Balogun among others.
