Others News
- Collector: China's karaoke royalties to go to single bank account
Date: 9-Jan-2007 Sources: (Xinhua Online)
China's Karaoke bars shall pay royalties for using music videos into a single bank account, the China Audio and Video Association (CAVA) said on its website.
'Any other forms of payment are not acceptable,' said CAVA. The stance seems to dispel worries of double collections by copyright and market administrators.
CAVA said it is in talks with the cultural development center under the Ministry of Culture on cooperation in karaoke royalty collection.
The National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) has approved collecting royalties from karaoke bars for using music videos from Jan. 1, 2007 at a rate of 12 yuan (about 1.5 U.S. dollars) for each room per day.
The royalties will first be collected in well-off cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and then gradually spread to other areas.
'Reasonable payment rates' will be set for less developed regions, according to CAVA, the acting collector.
CAVA will later hand over the karaoke royalty collection function to another body, which is being formed.
Even if differences between government departments are resolved, it remains uncertain whether the collection will go ahead smoothly as some karaoke bar owners already voiced opposition to it.
The Guangzhou Cultural and Entertainment Industry Association, for instance, has said its members would refuse to pay because the charges were unreasonably high.
This stance was supported by some karaoke bar owners in Shanghai and Beijing.
It is estimated there are about 100,000 karaoke bars in China.
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