The Copyright (Amendment) Act 2012 seeking to held the right of lyricists, artistes and performers to claim royalty for their creations finally passed in Lok Sabha house of Parliament on Tuesday at the last day of the budget session.
The Copyright Bill is passed unanimously by all parties support in Lok Sabha, an effort of the UPA government.
It is compulsory for broadcasters to give creative artistes their royalty for the copyright each time their creation is broadcast. No one can bring cover versions of any literary, dramatic or musical work before five years from its first recording.
“When it comes to payment of royalties through other mediums, producers and authors must share that royalty in equal measure,” said human resource development minister Kapil Sibal in Parliament House.
Citing the shehnai exponent Bismillah Khan and music composer Ravi, Sibal said as per the amendment, authors can negotiate with producers, broadcasters for their dues to be paid to them for their creations.
Source said, the amendment approved by the Upper House, allows mandatory licence to be granted with definite number of copies in non-special formats to non-profit organisations working to help disabled persons, along with exemption from copyright for them. Exemption is also for students from the copyright laws using such material for research purposes, while two years’ imprisonment for violating the law as indulging in piracy.
However with this step to protect the interest of the song writers, singers and composers, who create wonderful songs, the Bollywood Industry cheer up and celebrating this moment.
“This new law will secure the royalties of writers, composers, musicians etc which they had to legally surrender so far,” Lyricist and Rajya Sabha MP Javed Akhtar told reporters.
The melody queen Lata Mangeshkar is happy with this amendment and hoped that her songs that are being sung on television by other singers with help of music companies, will secure by this bill.
