Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Davies warned that 'devastating' Copyright Amendment Bill could cost SA jobs

20/03/2019

20 March, 2019 - 08:02

A coalition of artists, writers and publishers has written to Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies to challenge the Copyright Amendment Bill, due to be adopted by the National Council of Provinces. By Marelise van der Merwe

The coalition comprises writers, book and music publishers, film directors, producers, musicians, performing artists, film and television workers, content creators and business people.

These include representatives from heavyweights like Kagiso Media, NB Publishers, Sony, Warner, Universal, Juta, the Recording Industry of SA, the Independent Black Filmmakers Collective, Media24 Books, DALDRO, the Music Publishers Association of SA, the Visual Arts Network of SA, the David Gresham Entertainment Group, the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of SA, Sony/ATV, Shuter & Shooter, the Publishers Association of SA (PASA), and Pearson SA.

The Copyright Amendment Bill seeks to update South Africas four-decade-old copyright law. The Department of Trade and Industry argues it will protect authors, composers, artists and other professionals in the publishing sector, and that it will improve access to educational materials. It has also previously argued the Bill will address a lack of formalisation in the creative industry.

Devastating

However, the coalitions letter, published in the Sunday Times on March 17, says the Bill has deviated from its commendable goals and now carries unintended negative consequences. The letter lists six key concerns about the Bill, calling it potentially devastating to the creative industry.

You have stated in correspondence to some of our member organisations that the cost of procuring educational material in South Africa is very high, therefore flexibilities will be incorporated with teaching exceptions, the letter states.

Our concern is that these flexibilities or exceptions from copyright protection will have a devastating impact on the publishing industries.

Job losses, revenue nosedive

The Bill will lead to job losses, the writers argue, as academic publishing becomes less financially viable, forcing publishers to close. The letter cites an impact assessment by PwC and PASA which found that 1 250 jobs - nearly a third in the industry - would likely be lost due to implementation of the Bill.

The same report, though this is not mentioned in the letter, found that the Bill could see a 33% decrease in sales, equivalent to R2.1bn, plus a decrease in exports of local titles.

Get More Film Business South Africa

Select your Membership

The letter argues there will be an additional impact on the film industry, which - according to an National Film and Video Foundation report - in 2017 raised its level of production by over R12bn.

Another concern, according to the letter, is the impact on satellite industries, as the Bill will mean limited revenues for costly projects. This will have a knock-on effect, damaging the numerous service industries that support productions, especially in the Western Cape.

The Bill also creates uncertainty around ownership and royalties by permitting free re-use and therefore threatening production investment, the letter adds.

According to the missive, the Bill is vague and imprecise, and will need to be tested in courts over several years requiring content creators to fight to defend rights that should be theirs automatically, which will be costly and time-consuming.

Even where jobs arent lost, the Bill will cause loss of income to working creatives, the coalition says. This will remove the incentive to write, produce and publish works, since the Bill allows [work] to be copied and republished with impunity, often free of charge.

Big tech companies will cash in

Related to this is concern over the benefit to international tech corporations, who - according to the coalition - will be able to access and republish creative and research work without having to pay fair royalties or usage fees, and then monetise this content by licensing it or selling advertising around it, without the original creators seeing a cent.

Lastly, the writers say, South Africas body of knowledge will be reduced rather than increased. When the publication of academic writing and research no longer pays, South African writers will stop writing, and publishers will stop publishing. This will mean less South African publishing will be available, they argue.

Imported foreign material will fill the gap, leaving our students to learn generic ideas from the global north, not strictly applicable to the African and South African situation.

www.fin24.com

Film Finance

Africa South Africa
LINK: http://www.filmcontact.com/news/south-africa/davies-warned-devastating...
See more stories from filmcontact

More from Film Contact

03/08/2021

Perfectly Numb, coming of age drama announced on the French Riviera

Set on the dazzling French Riviera, Perfectly Numb is a film focusing on mental health issues associated with growing up in a heteronormative narrative. Produc...

18/06/2021

Black Women Disrupt The Web partners with KweliTV to stream Original Web Series Showcase

Black Women Disrupt the Web (BWDW) and kweliTV, the on-demand and live video str...

14/06/2021

Industry Event: The Documentary Filmmakers Association DocCHAT with Netflix Africa Team

DFA hosts a docCHAT with the NETFLIX AFRICA team and unpacks the online distribu...

11/06/2021

DFA docShare presents: Get your Film out There, interactive panel discussion about distribution strategy

DFA invites you to the launch of docSHARE - an interactive learning session wher...

04/06/2021

Egg Films announces new partners, Lebogang Rasethaba & Zwelethu Radebe

Egg Films has boosted its leadership firepower with director Zwelethu Radebe and director and Arcade co-owner Lebogang Rasethaba joining long-standing colleague...

20/01/2021

McCann1886 successfully applies lockdown lessons for Steers

McCann1886 is successfully applying the lessons it learnt during last years hard lockdown to the work it is doing for clients across the board. Last year, the a...

21/12/2020

Africa Movie Academy Awards AMAA Winners 2020

21 December, 2020 - 10:20 The Africa Movie Academy Awards #AMAA announced the winners for 2020 in a live event broadcast online. The winners are: EFERE OZA...

17/12/2020

Tastic's new TVC from FCB Joburg a reminder of people's innate generosity - the spirit of ubuntu

Tastic Rices new TVC from FCB Joburg is a beautifully cast and shot reminder of ...

10/12/2020

HelloFCB+ brings SABC3's festive season proposition to life

HelloFCB is using digital and social media to communicate SABC3s festive season proposition to millennial fans of the channels programming. Awarded the task af...

09/12/2020

Lebogang Rasethaba, Foxp2 & Jgermeister celebrate individuals who disrupt by taking a shot

Egg Films Lebogang Rasethaba directs savants of the social scene, mould breakers...

19/11/2020

Toyota shows South African's the meaning of the luxury of freedom' with new Toyota Fortuner

Toyota South Africa is showing South Africans exactly what the phrase the luxury...

30/10/2020

Superbalist challenges the norm in Impress Yourself' campaign

Egg Films Lebogang Rasethaba joined forces with M&C Saatchi Abel on the latest campaign for South Africas leading online fashion destination, Superbalist. The r...

28/10/2020

Toyota SA evolves Toyota Hilux's strategic positioning with launch of 8th generation

28 October, 2020 - 08:50 Coinciding with the unveiling of the 8th generation...

26/10/2020

Toya Delazy & Kyle Lewis's latest collaboration brings high art and afrorave grit to life

26 October, 2020 - 09:54 Along with the team from VMLY&R Johannesburg, Egg F...

22/10/2020

The 5th Edition of the Toyota Fortuner Challenge goes ahead

16 October, 2020 - 06:13 The 5th edition of the annual Toyota Fortuner Challenge is going ahead this year, albeit under South Africas COVID-19 regulations. ...

13/10/2020

FCB Joburg launches new star' in Toyota SA's galaxy

13 October, 2020 - 07:00 FCB Joburg has created a 360deg through-the-line campaign for the new star in Toyota South Africas galaxy the Toyota Starlet, utili...

10/10/2020

Toyota South Africa launches E-Sports Challenge on WRC 9

10 October, 2020 - 06:49 Following the success of the Toyota Esports FIFA Challenge on PlayStation, Toyota South Africa, in partnership with Brand Inc, the ...

09/10/2020

Mohammad Ali brought back into the ring for Showmax Game Changers'

9 October, 2020 - 06:02 Egg Films Adrian de sa Garces had the impossible task of resurrecting the greatest boxer of all time in his latest spot for Showmax,...

07/10/2020

DFA docLOVE Covid-19 Citizen Journalist Awards

7 October, 2020 - 07:03 The Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) is calling on all filmmakers, citizen journakists, media activists and artivists who ha...

29/09/2020

FCB Joburg tweaks concept approved before lockdown for Debonairs

29 September, 2020 - 13:21 FCB Joburg has tweaked a concept originally conceived, approved and shot before lockdown for Debonairs Pizza, the countrys leadin...

24/09/2020

Nescafe Ricoffy celebrates Heritage Month with Design-the-Tin campaign from Boomtown

24 September, 2020 - 07:17 South Africas number one coffee brand1, Nescafe R...

23/09/2020

McCann1886 creates new TVC for Dettol ASL

23 September, 2020 - 08:27 McCann1886 created a TVC for global brand, Dettol, to showcase the effectiveness of its iconic Antiseptic Liquid as a disinfectan...

20/08/2020

Flora gets hearts beating with its new TTL campaign from MetropolitanRepublic

20 August, 2020 - 06:03 Flora, a South African household favourite produced by Siqalo Foods, has launched a new brand proposition with a through-the-line ca...

19/08/2020

City of Cape Town encourages citizens to report domestic violence with campaign from HelloFCB+

19 August, 2020 - 06:35 The City of Cape Town encouraged citizens to report ...

14/08/2020

FCB Joburg's #ThisIsGlugGlug ad for Sasol takes poll position on best liked ads list

14 August, 2020 - 14:56 FCB Joburgs This isnt just any fuel. #ThisIsGlugGlug...

07/08/2020

Broadcast Media Africa Announces Content Distribution Is The Focus Of Key Industry Forum In August 2020

7 August, 2020 - 12:10 For the broadcast media organisations to succeed in t...

08/07/2020

FCB Joburg's first shoot coming out of lockdown helps Toyota welcome customers back on the road

8 July, 2020 - 10:04 After more than two months of hard lockdown, Toyota Sou...

26/06/2020

Winners of the DFA Covid-19 Short Film Grant

26 June, 2020 - 07:04 In view of the challenges faced by our industry the DFA board created the Covid-19 Short Film Grant to support independent content on ...

05/06/2020

Invitation: gain a deeper understanding of screenwriting

5 June, 2020 - 07:05 We invite you to join us for a fun and informative virtual screen writing workshop. Well explore what goes on behind the scenes of any ...

23/05/2020

Free Online Screenwriting Seminar

23 May, 2020 - 10:31 Join film and television writers, Michele Rowe and Richard Beynon, for a chance to discuss and ask questions about writing for the scre...

20/05/2020

MetropolitanRepublic produces industry acclaimed campaign for SA Tourism under lockdown

20 May, 2020 - 08:04 Refusing to compromise the speed, agility and commitmen...

21/04/2020

Toyota urges South Africa to give up driving

21 April, 2020 - 08:07 In a 30-second mini-film created in record time by its long-standing communications partner, FCB Joburg, Toyota South Africa is urgin...

31/03/2020

Power Streaming Workflows with AJA HELO

31 March, 2020 - 12:15 Virtualize your next event and simplify your live streams with AJA Video Systems HELO, a standalone device for streaming, recording a...

23/03/2020

Second HelloFCB+ campaign for CANSA excels

23 March, 2020 - 08:02 Dont Fear The Finger, a campaign created for CANSA by HelloFCB to encourage men to test for prostrate cancer, has excelled at this y...

18/03/2020

#TwoBinsLifeWins campaign gives voice to India's conservancy workers

18 March, 2020 - 08:45 To encourage Indian citizens to adopt improved waste management practices, Tata Trusts, through its Mission Garima programme, has lau...

17/03/2020

Toyota repositions Corolla with new creative campaign from FCB Joburg

17 March, 2020 - 09:03 For the launch of the brand-new Corolla and Corolla Quest models, Toyota South Africa is repositioning its iconic Corolla marque with...

13/03/2020

Cape Town's Intrepid Fox creates brand film for US online social sports platform

13 March, 2020 - 11:01 Cape Town-based creative agency, Intrepid Fox, has cr...

04/03/2020

D.B. Sweeney's Comedic Short Sweeps International Film Festival Circuit

3 March, 2020 - 22:10 Two Dum Micks, an offbeat comedic short film, written, directed, and produced by D.B Sweeney and edited by Keith Kristinat at The Colo...

28/02/2020

Coca-Cola leverages its English Premier League sponsorship in Nigeria with a campaign from FCB

28 February, 2020 - 08:17 Coca-Cola is leveraging its sponsorship of the Eng...

25/02/2020

FCB Joburg & Coca-Cola Phonetic Can major winner at 2019 Creative Circle Awards

25 February, 2020 - 07:04 FCB Joburg and its client, Coca-Cola South Africa, were among the biggest winners at the 2019 edition of the Creative Circle Annua...

13/02/2020

Turn your idea into a script that producers will drool over

13 February, 2020 - 09:03 All About Writing provides aspirant script and screenwriters with both the skills and advice theyll need to turn good ideas (well ...

13/02/2020

Gravel Road Distribution acquires Academy Award Winner, Parasite

13 February, 2020 - 09:07 Gravel Road is thrilled to announce the acquisition of this years Oscar(r) winning film, Parasite. Rights are for all-media, exclu...

11/02/2020

Days of Cannibalism Nominated for Best Documentary Award at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival

11 February, 2020 - 09:07 South African filmmaker Teboho Edkinss crossgenre ...

10/02/2020

Sign up for a screenwriting course today

10 February, 2020 - 09:43 Writing scripts isnt easy. But the good news is that many of the challenges are technical and technical skills can be learnt. All ...

05/02/2020

Robin Adams and Ogilvy Cape Town living The Life'

5 February, 2020 - 10:04 The Life, a concept created for Gumtree South Africa by Ogilvy Cape Town and directed by Egg Films newest recruit Robin Adams, take...

24/01/2020

Cape Town Tourism video from HaveYouHeard wins at ITFF Africa

24 January, 2020 - 08:52 Cape Town Winter Song, a tongue-in-cheek video parodying Mother City cliches and good-naturedly teasing its residents, has won two ...

20/12/2019

Sundance makes history by selecting First Narrative Film directed by a black South African

20 December, 2019 - 07:53 They say dynamite comes in small packages, Sadla, ...

20/12/2019

Sundance makes history by selecting First Narrative Film directed by a South African

20 December, 2019 - 07:53 They say dynamite comes in small packages, Sadla, ...

13/12/2019

Dettol reinforces protection as strong as a mother's love' positioning with new campaign

13 December, 2019 - 08:04 Reckitt Benckisers 80-year-old brand Dettol is rei...

11/12/2019

Latest episode in #ToyotaStoriesSA campaign another winner on social

11 December, 2019 - 10:50 The latest episode in the #ToyotaStoriesSA campaign from FCB Joburg is another winner on social media with 150 000 Facebook views,...