NCC  supports MCSN’s  GOCREATE APP

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has expressed its unflinching support for the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria’s (MCSN) GOCREATE APP which will soon be deployed  for monitoring and tracking of  the use and exploitation of musical works and sound Recordings in the country.The assurance was given by Mr.  Augustine  Amodu ,the Director, Regulatory Department, when MCSN  formally presented  the App to the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to demonstrate how it works.

In a Zoom meeting tagged, *“GoCreate App Presentation to Nigerian Copyright Commission”* held on August 13th, MCSN’s Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Onome Ojigbo, took participants through the GoCreate experience in a tour in which he steered them from the Google Play Store at which the App was downloaded to individual’s android phones or devices, following which the App would prompt the user to either log in or sign up.  Once the user entered the app, he can go to any section that applies to his needs.  For instance, a right owner or musician would be directed by the app to upload his works or check if and how his works have been used or played by any particular medium and from which he would have an idea of how much he would be expecting in terms of royalty earnings.  On the side of music users such as broadcast stations, the app, once installed, would track, monitor and store all the broadcast contents of the station and report accurately.  This effectively helps a broadcaster using the app to meet its legal obligation of keeping the logs of its broadcasts as required by the National Broadcasting Commission Act and Codes.  To the MCSN, the app would help solve the problem of transparency which has for long confronted copyright and royalty administration.  With accurate tracking, monitoring, report and analysis of works used, either through broadcast or on any platform, beneficiaries of royalties would get fair and equitable payments for the use of their works. 

During the tour of the GoCreate App, questions such as the benefits to the artists, transparency and enforcement among others were raised and clearly answered to the satisfaction of participants.

Mr. Amodu, on behalf the Director General of the NCC expressed satisfaction about the good prospect which the App would have for the creative industry.  He commended the MCSN’s team for the development the App and assured the management of MCSN that NCC will cooperate with it (MSCN) in a transparent and sincere   manner to ensure the success of the deployment of the App so that the works of creators and authors are monitored effectively to ensure that they are adequately rewarded for the exploitation of their works.

“The NCC will work transparently and sincerely with MCSN to ensure the success of the app so that owners of musical works are adequately rewarded no matter where such works are exploited” Mr. Amodu who spoke on behalf of the Director General of the Commission, said.

Like the regulator in him, he wanted to know how the operation of the App will be enforced with reference to exploitation of music after the technical team of MCSN had taken participants through the workings of the App.He was assured by the CEO of MCSN, Mayo Ayilaran that NCC as the regulator has a role to play because under the Copyright Laws, Civil and Crimminal redress can go on simultaneously in case of infringement.

The GOCREATE APP, can be downloaded from the Google Play Store ,after which an artiste signs in and uploads his works onto the platform. The works are then given an identity  unique to the artiste in question. With this, any where in the world that the works are performed, they are  automatically  monitored, analysed for time and duration of performance and result sent to a dashboard for the artiste. At anytime the artiste can check out how many times his works are played and how much is due to him from his android and IOS phones.

The Deputy Director, Regulatory Department of the NCC, , Mrs. Susan Bashorun described the imminent deployment of the App  as a positive development for copyright administration.

She called on the management of MCSN to ensure that creators at the grassroots are carried along in the laudable development.

Among the team that represented the commission were Mr. Kunle  Olatunji, Chief Copyright Officer Regulatory and Mrs. Oludayo Folarin, Chief Principal Copyright Officer Regulatory.

In participation were Copyright Attorneys, Wale Adesokan (SAN). and Dada Awosika.

Also in participation were  the Chairman of MCSN,Orits Williki, CEO of Kennis FM,  Kenny Ogungbe, film director, Victor Okhai, Dr. Ope Banwo and Tunde Kuboye of Jazz 38.