German authors pull veil off YouTube

ITRealms:

German authors rights society under the aegis of GEMA has advanced a licence agreement with YouTube thereby settling a long lasting legal battle regarding royalties, reports ITRealms..

The music videos, ITRealms gathered, was blocked for copyright reasons through a caption in Germany.

Sources at GEMA, said the contract signed on November 1, 2016 constitutes “a milestone for a fair remuneration of music authors in the digital age.”

In addition, Broadband Tv reports that the amount YouTube pays per video watched by an internet user in Germany has not been disclosed. In January 2016, GEMA lost a legal case against YouTube at the regional appeal court in Munich in which the society claimed 0.375 Euro cent per video. The figure both sides agreed on now is likely to be lower, according to industry sources. The agreement also contains a retroactive payment for videos watched since 2009, the year in which the legal dispute began.

GEMA represents around 70,000 music authors and publishers who are now going to receive royalties for the usage of their musical works protected by copyright. The ongoing court cases will be terminated, the previous verdicts will not come into force.

Besides the conventional ad-supported service, the agreement also covers the new subscription service YouTube Red that YouTube already offers in the USA and plans to roll out in Europe.

“The conclusion of this contract with YouTube is a clear signal to all online platforms that successfully build their business models on the musical works of creatives,” Thomas Theune, director of broadcast and online at GEMA, said in Munich. “Authors must be fairly remunerated for the exploitation of their musical works. GEMA will continue to actively pursue this goal.”

There are still, however, different legal positions held by YouTube and GEMA regarding the question whether YouTube or the uploaders are responsible for the licensing of the used musical works. GEMA calls for a political solution to establish a fair legal framework on this issue.

Chuks Egbune/GEE 

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Presidency denies spending N2tn on elections

ITRealms:

The Presidency has denied spending or budgeting N2 trillion on the just concluded elections and described media reports making a round as suspicious and only the imagination of the authors, reports ITRealms.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr.  Reuben Abati, the Presidency and the People’s Democratic Party conducted the 2015 elections in strict accordance with the rule of law.

“The allegation of a theft of public funds is extremely malicious,” Abati said, noting that the annual budget of the Federal Government is a little over N4 trillion and wondered where and how the Federal Government should have used half of the estimated budget on elections.

He insisted that the story is practically suggesting that half of the federal budget was spent on elections.

“This kind of reckless insinuation is meant to incite the public and instigate national crisis,” he decried.

President Jonathan, he said, has done his best to protect and strengthen democracy and promote peace.

Abati pointed out that President Jonathan, deserves all the accolades that he has received from both Nigerians and the international community for this.

He alleged that certain persons and interest groups may not be happy that his profile has further risen and that his legacy is assured; but they do their country gross disservice when they act so unpatriotically.

“Anyone who is engaged in imposing a crisis on the country by any means is not being fair to Nigeria. We can only appeal to the public to be wary of such reckless tactics now on display, which form the substance of an odd, malicious campaign after the elections,” he said.

The presidential spokesman emphasised that the Presidency is particularly worried that since the March 28 and April 11 elections, some persons have continued to work very hard to diminish the Jonathan Presidency.

“They need to be reminded that the time for politics is over; it is now time to focus on the in-coming government, with emphasis on national development and moving the country forward,” he said.

 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +Reuben Abati

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