The Southern African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) has reported the distribution of over R33 million in digital platform royalties to its members in the fiscal year 2024. SAMRO professed this move to underline its continuous commitment to guaranteeing that its musicians are adequately compensated for their works used by digital service providers (DSPs), video-on-demand (VOD), and user-generated content on platforms like Spotify, Netflix and TikTok.
SAMRO has announced it will plan another royalty distribution in June, aiming to further increase the earning potential of its members. This comes after the organization’s 2021 strategic decision to gather royalties from digital platforms, such as TikTok, Facebook, and Netflix.
This advancement was put into motion as a response to the shifting technological scene and was made possible through licensing agreements. Furthermore, this step was crucial in conforming SAMRO’s licensing and royalty payments to the evolving dynamics of the international digital landscape.
The industry body has stated that the Southern African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) has significantly enhanced the process of identifying musical compositions through its research and documentation practices, achieving an average identification rate of 98%. This improved rate has resulted in a successful payment of royalties to members, including authors, composers, and publishers whose music is featured on various digital platforms.
SAMRO said that distributing these royalties with the intention of maximizing earnings for its members is at the heart of their operation. It aims at ensuring that members receive fair compensation for their musical creations, thereby improving their livelihoods.
SAMRO recognized the potential issues caused by unregistered music creators and unidentified musical works, which previously affected the accurate distribution of royalties. To address this, SAMRO adopted operational tactics that use data from Digital Service Providers (DSPs), Video on Demand (VOD) platforms, auto-copyright tools, and the CIS-Net.
SAMRO claims that these revised methods have dramatically increased the accuracy and speed of royalty distribution, reducing reliance on manual processing and accelerating paperwork. SAMRO maintains its commitment to advocating for the rights of music creators, pledging to adapt to the persistently evolving digital landscape.
The body concluded by saying that this unprecedented distribution is more than an achievement; it is a promise for the future. It sets a new standard for subsequent efforts in royalty distribution, providing a future where musicians receive just compensation for their creative work.
