The Copyright Rules

THE COPYRIGHT RULES, 2013

[As amended by the Copyright (Amendment) Rules, 2021]

CHAPTER VIII – STATUTORY LICENCE FOR BROADCASTING OF LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS AND SOUND RECORDINGS

29. Notice for Communication to the Public of literary and musical works and sound recordings.—

(1) Any broadcasting organization desirous of communicating to the public by way of broadcast or by way of performance of a published literary or musical work and sound recording under sub-section (1) of section 31D shall give a notice of its intention to the owner of the copyright and to the Registrar of Copyrights before a period of five days in advance of such communication to the public and shall pay to the owner of the copyright, in the literary or musical work or sound recording or any combination thereof, the amount of royalties due at the rate fixed by the Board in this regard:

Provided that in case of communication to the public by way of broadcast or by way of performance of a newly published literary or musical work or sound recording or any combination thereof, which has been published within the said period of five days of such communication and which do not form part of the scheduled programmes, the notice shall, be given before such communication to the public:

Provided further that in case of communication to the public by way of broadcast or by way of performance of any published literary or musical work and sound recording or any combination thereof, in unforeseen circumstances, the notice shall, be given within twenty-four hours of such communication to the public:

Provided also that any broadcasting organization shall give a notice under this Chapter only after the royalty to be paid is determined by the Board under rule 31 and published in the journal and in the website of the Copyright Office and the Board.

(2) Every such notice shall be in respect of works belonging to one owner only.

(3) Separate notices shall be given for communication to the public by way of radio broadcast or television broadcast or by way of performance of a literary or musical work and sound recording which has already been published.

(4) The notice under sub-rule (1) shall contain the following particulars, namely:—

(a) Name of the channel;

(b) Territorial coverage where communication to public by way of radio broadcast, television broadcast or performance under sub-rule (3) is to be made;

(c) Details necessary to identify the work which is proposed to be communicated to the public by way of radio broadcast, television broadcast or performance under sub-rule (3);

(d) Year of publication of such work, if any;

(e) Name, address and nationality of the owner of the copyright in such works;

(f) Names of authors and principal performers of such works;

(g) alterations, if any, which are proposed to be made for the communication to the public by way of radio broadcast, television broadcast or performance of the works, reasons thereof, and the evidence of consent of the owners of rights, if required, for making such alteration;

(h) Mode of the proposed communication to the public, i.e. radio, television or performance;

(i) Name, if any, of the programme in which the works are to be included;

(j) Details of time slots, duration and period of the programme in which the works are to be included;

(k) Details of the payment of royalties at the rates fixed by the Board; and

(l) Address of the place where the records and books of account are to be maintained for inspection by the owner of rights.

24.Conditions to be followed while making cover version:-

(1) While making the cover version the producer shall maintain the integrity of the original literary, dramatic or musical works, except to the extent as may be technically necessary for the purpose of making the cover version.
(2) The cover version shall not be issued in any form of packaging or with any cover or label including any label or carton or inlay card or website having design or colour scheme or layout or getup similar to that of the original sound recording which is likely to mislead or confuse the public as to the identity of the original sound recording.
(3) The cover version shall not use the label of the original sound recording and shall state in bold letters on the cover that it is a cover version made under section 31C.
(4) The cover version shall prominently display the names of performers and shall not contain the name or depict in any way any performer of an earlier sound recording of the same work or any cinematograph film in which such sound recording was incorporated.

30.Maintaining of records.—

(1) Records containing the details of the owners in respect of total number of works broadcast, the details of such works and the time slot, duration and period of the broadcast shall be maintained by the broadcasting organisation at its principal place of business and shall be open to inspection on prior notice by the owner of rights or his duly authorized agent or representative in the works during business hours and may obtain copies of relevant extracts from such records at their cost. The broadcasting organization shall maintain separate records for radio broadcasting and television broadcasting.
(2) The broadcasting organisation shall maintain separate books of accounts for communication to public by way of broadcast containing such details as may be determined by the Board at the time of fixing the rate of royalty and render to the owners of rights such reports and accounts.

31.Manner of determining royalties.—

(1) The Board shall either suo motu or on receipt of a request from any interested person, give public notice of its intention to fix royalties for communication to the public of literary or musical works and sound recordings under section 31D and may invite suggestions for determining the same. Such notice shall be given separately for radio and television broadcasting.
(2) The notice under sub-rule (1) shall be published by the Board in the journal and shall be re-published in two daily news papers having circulation in the major part of the country and shall be posted on the website of the Copyright Office and the Board.
(3) Any owner of copyright or any broadcasting organisation or any other interested person may within thirty days from the date of publication of such notice under sub- rule (1) shall give suggestions with adequate evidence as to the rate of royalties to be fixed including different rates for different works and different formats.
(4) The Board shall after giving an opportunity being heard to the persons who made relevant suggestions under sub-rule (3), consider such suggestions, as it deems fit.
(5) The Board shall within a period of two months from the last date of receipt of suggestions, determine separate rates of royalty to be paid to the owners of literary or musical work and sound recordings for radio and television broadcasting respectively.
(6) The Board shall determine the royalties payable to the owner of the copyright under sub-section (2) of section 31D for radio and television broadcast separately.
(7) The Board while determining royalty shall take into consideration the following factors, namely:-
(a) time slot in which the broadcast takes place and different rates for different time slot including repeat broadcast;
(b) different rates for different class of works;
(c) different rates for different nature of use of work;
(d) the prevailing standards of royalties with regard to such works;
(e) the terms and conditions included in the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA) between Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the broadcaster for Operating Frequency Modulation (FM) Radio Broadcasting Service; and
(f) such other matters as may be considered relevant by the Board.
(8) The Board while determining the payment of royalties under sub-rule (5) shall take into consideration, the following factors, namely:-
(a) works included in the scheduled programmes;
(b) works newly published and not included in the scheduled programme;
(c) works communicated to the public on unexpected circumstances; and
(d) use of works in excess of the duration, different time slot or territorial coverage than mentioned in the notice.
(9) The Board may revise the rates of royalties periodically, at least once in a year keeping in view the provisions of these rules.

27. Manner of determining royalties.—

(1) The Board shall immediately after its constitution either suo motu or on receipt of a request from any interested person give public notice of its intention to fix royalties for making cover version under section 31C and may invite suggestions for determining the same.

(2) The notice under sub-section (1) shall be published by the Board in the journal and the same to be re-published in two daily news papers having circulation in the major part of the country and shall post the same on the website of the Copyright Office and the Board.

(3) Any owner of copyright or any person involved in the business of making cover version or any other interested person may within thirty days from the date of publication of public notice under sub-rule (1) may give suggestions with adequate evidence as to the rate of royalties to be fixed including different rates for different works, languages, media and formats.

(4) The Board shall, after giving an opportunity of being heard to the persons who made relevant suggestions under sub-rule (3), consider such suggestions, as it deems fit.

(5) The Board shall within a period of two months from the last date of receipt of the suggestions, determine the royalties payable to the owner of the copyright under sub- section (2) of section 31C. The Board while determining the royalty shall take into consideration the following factors, namely:-

(a) the retail price of the earlier sound recording;

(b) the prevailing standards of royalties in regard to literary, dramatic or musical work for making such recordings;

(d) such other matters as may be considered relevant by the Board.

(6) The Board may revise the rates of royalties periodically, at least once in a year, keeping in view of the provisions of this rule.

28.Complaint is respect of non-payment of royalties.—

(1) The owner of Copyright in the literary, dramatic or musical works included in original sound recording may make a complaint to the Board in case of non-payment of royalty in full, as determined by the Board in respect of the cover version purported to be made.
(2) If the Board is prima facie satisfied as to the genuineness of the complaint, it may pass an interim order directing the person making the cover version to cease from making further copies.
(3) The Board may, after holding such enquiry as it considers necessary and after giving an opportunity of being heard to the owner of rights in any literary, dramatic or musical works included in original sound recording, make such further order, as it deem fit, including an order for payment of royalty.

Celebrating 20 Years of IP Excellence