GHAMRO sues GBC over failure to pay royalties

The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) has dragged the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to court.

The music rights body is suing the state broadcaster over its failure to pay royalties over the past five years.

According to the suit sighted by Myjoyonline.com, GBC has failed to pay royalties since 2012 even though GHAMRO has relentlessly tried to prompt the state broadcaster for payments.

GHAMRO is praying the court to declare that the state broadcaster’s failure to pay royalties for the use of musical works constitutes copyright infringement.

Also, the music rights body is hoping that court compels GBC to pay 5% of revenue earned from the use, communication and/or performance of musical works to the public for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, via GTV, GTV24 and other affiliates.

Lastly, GHAMRO hopes to get a “Perpetual injunction to restrain the Defendant (GBC) from the unbridled use of musical works of members/ assigns of plaintiff organisation without authorisation.”

The state broadcaster is being sued at a time that there is public outcry following the decision by the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo to grant a request to set up a special court to deal with TV licence fee defaulters.

The decision to set up the court followed appeals from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

With this new development, defaulters will be fined and may also face jail time for non-payment of the TV licence fees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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