Record Labels Flip Out After Indian Copyright Board Massively Lowers Radio Royalties

from the get-ready-for-the-anti-India-spin dept

Wed, Sep 1st 2010 12:08pm — Mike Masnick

Get ready to hear all sorts of stories from record labels about how India is "anti-music" and a problem. That's because the Copyright Board in India just drastically changed the royalty structure for playing music on FM radios. Rather than a set hourly rate of approximately $25.60 - $35.50/hour (1200 to 1600 rupees), it's now saying that stations should just pay 2% of their net advertising. That turns out to be a massive change -- perhaps a drop of about 90% to the record labels, since the current hourly rates represent about 18% of net advertising revenue. Of course, as the article points out, the 18% rate was much higher than most of the rest of the world and crippling to radio stations. But, in the world we live in, the record labels will never accept the idea that they don't always deserve greater and greater rights to money.

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Filed Under: copyright, india, royalties

26 Comments

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Dark Helmet (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 11:53am

In unrelated news....
The United States of America rushed through a Congressional declaration of war against India. When asked for comment, Senator Handsout said, "We're going after them for violating the nuclear arms proliferation treaty. It's totally legitimate. India has nukes. Only America and Russia are allowed to have them. Plus, look how close they are to the Middle East. They're basically terrorists."

When one reporter pointed out to Senator Handsout that Pakistan was also a nuclear power and even closer to the Middle East, the Senator said he didn't think that was true. "Show me on a map," he declared haughtily. "Pakistan is nowhere near the Middle East. It's in South America....isn't it?"

Vice President Joe Biden also rallied for the cause. "What we're trying to do here, people, is ensure the rights to life, liberty, and being constantly inundated with Lady Gaga songs....er, I mean freedom. Yeah, that's the ticket! Freedom! And Freebird! God, I love that song!"

When asked for comment, Sarah Palin immediately began screaming, "I can see Russia from my house. FROM MY HOUSE!" She then proceeded to shoot twelve mooses in the kneecaps before decapitating them and bathing in their blood.

Meanwhile, the Indian government said something about a war started because they simply tried to regulate their own soveriegn economy. President Barack Obama replied indignantly, "That's ridiculous. We totally respect soveriegn nations and their right to rule themselves. That's why we're invading them."

It was about that time when this reporter's spleen burst from the sheer stupidity of our elected leaders....
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:25pm

Re: In unrelated news....
I once had my spleen burst from stupidity... man that was a wild night.
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Hephaestus (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:26pm

Re: In unrelated news....
"It was about that time when this reporter's spleen burst from the sheer stupidity of our elected leaders...."

Are you trying to go down the douglas adams vogon poetry route with that?
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A Dan (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:29pm

Re: In unrelated news....
The plural of moose is moose. Just for future reference.
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DH's Love Child (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:32pm

Re: In unrelated news....
I think MY spleen just burst!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:32pm

Re: Re: In unrelated news....
I copied and pasted the story from a "real" newspaper site. They don't spellcheck....
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NAMELESS ONE, 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:33pm

title should read
Indian radio station now will be able to play more music and less commercials .....which advertises the stupid twits that are trying desperately make it so none of there music ever gets heard by anyone ...anywhere....
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Dark Helmet (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:34pm

Re: Re: In unrelated news....
No, but God I love those books...
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Hephaestus (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:37pm

Smart move actually ....
"Rather than a set hourly rate of approximately $25.60 - $35.50/hour (1200 to 1600 rupees), it's now saying that stations should just pay 2% of their net advertising."

This is actually a very smart move on the governments part. It allows Prasar Bharati, India's public broadcaster, to not get charged. It reduces the burden to indian stations makinig them comparable or less than the rest of the world percentage wise.
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sumquy, 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:46pm

Re: Re: In unrelated news....
I copied and pasted the story from a "real" newspaper site. They don't spellcheck...

INFRINGER! PIRATE! TERRORIST! I'm calling the FBI right now!
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Rob, 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:54pm

Indian drop in record companies extorted $
I think it's great! They make too much $ off those songs and the record companies should just go suck! It reduces the load on Indian stations giving them a chance with the rest of the world, speaking percentages anyway.
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A Dan (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:55pm

Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
It's funny you should mention that. Of course, I have no idea whether the link will work.

http://content.usatoday.com/topics/article/Places,+Geography/Regions/Middle+East/03FP3dR9Zr 5JQ/1
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AJ, 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:55pm

Score!
Score one for the good guys.... 10 thousand for the bad....still... were on the board!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 12:59pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
WTF???!!! How did you get that to come up under the USA Today's header?
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Hephaestus (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 1:01pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
Very Cool I learned a new trick ;)
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Free Capitalist (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 1:03pm

Re: Re: In unrelated news....
Huh... I thought the plural of moose was m00se, or m33se depending if it is a North American moose or a Scandinavian moose. I learn something new every day, and that is the beauty of life.
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Free Capitalist (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 1:06pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
BTW, nice article. Very nice.
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A Dan (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 1:34pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
Searched Google for:
"Vice President Joe Biden also rallied for the cause."

Clicked through to the USA Today consolidation page.

Clicked on:
Record Labels Flip Out After Indian Copyright Board Massively Lowers Radio Royalties

Copied and pasted address.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 1:48pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
Dark Helmet....USA Today reporter?
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interval (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 2:22pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
Please, no... Then again, it is USA Today. Shoot, report on DH.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 2:41pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In unrelated news....
You hit da big time!

Better start infringing, ahh pirating, ahhh, stealing, oh what the hell, do it anway, Pink Floyd's Have A Cigar. :)
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TtfnJohn (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 2:42pm

Re: title should read
What the hell does music or artists have do with it. Dammit these are record companies we're talking about. Anyway, I'm sure they own the rights to the muzak used in the background to the wall to wall ads!
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NAMELESS ONE, 1 Sep 2010 @ 3:34pm

@10
and if your into kidnapping children the fbi dont care so much BT PIRATING and coprgiht OMG THERE GONNA GET YOU
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TAM PR Comment Development Company, Ltd., 1 Sep 2010 @ 4:50pm

India loves music, and labels help sell the music.
Mike, you're wrong again.

Record labels need to substantiate their business model in an ever-evolving market place. Taking $10 and putting $9 in your pocket, while giving $1 to the artist is a very good and viable model. I don't understand why you have a problem with this.
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IronM@sk, 1 Sep 2010 @ 7:54pm

Re: In unrelated news....
LOL, you should write for The Onion.
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Epilectic Battery, 2 Sep 2010 @ 12:40am

Re: Smart move actually ....
"Rather than a set hourly rate of approximately $25.60 - $35.50/hour (1200 to 1600 rupees)"

I think someone may have goofed on the exchange rate... probably should be 12,000 to 16,000 rupees to add up to those amounts of dollars.
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