Namibian MP Frederick Shitana criticizes unchanged N$2 music royalties since independence
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Namibian musicians are earning as little as N$2 per broadcast play, a rate that member of parliament and artist Frederick Shitana says has remained unchanged since independence. Shitana raised the issue during a workshop on the draft copyright bill hosted by the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa, Namibia's agency for business and intellectual property registration) in Windhoek last week. The proposed legislation is expected to be tabled in parliament later this year. The workshop brought together lawmakers and industry stakeholders to discuss the draft Namibia copyright and related rights bill and ways to strengthen legal protection for creative works. Shitana said low remuneration rates from the Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam, the collective management organization for music royalties in Namibia) continue to limit the financial viability of music careers. He stated that as public representatives, they will continue fighting for the country, and noted the issue extends beyond the music sector.
- Namibian musicians receive only N$2 per broadcast play, making music careers financially unviable and forcing many to abandon professional pursuits for other jobs.
- Artists relying on Nascam royalties face ongoing minimal payments, reducing their income and ability to produce new works or sustain families.
- Emerging musicians in Namibia struggle to build viable careers due to unchanged rates since 1990, limiting cultural output and personal economic stability.
Key Entities
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Frederick Shitana Person
Namibian MP and musician who criticized low royalty rates during a copyright workshop.
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Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) Organization
Namibian government agency that hosted the workshop on the draft copyright bill.
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Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam) Organization
Namibia's collective management organization responsible for collecting and distributing music royalties.
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Draft Namibia copyright and related rights bill Law
Proposed legislation discussed at the workshop to strengthen protections for creative works, set for parliamentary tabling.
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Windhoek Place
Capital city of Namibia where the Bipa workshop took place.
Multi-Perspective Analysis
Left-Leaning View
Frames low royalties as exploitation of artists by outdated systems, emphasizing need for government intervention to protect workers in creative sectors.
Centrist View
Highlights legislative process and stakeholder workshop as balanced steps toward reform without assigning blame.
Right-Leaning View
Views it as market-driven rates in a small economy, questioning if higher royalties would burden broadcasters and reduce airplay opportunities.
Source & Verification
Source: The Namibian RSS
Status: AI Processed
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