Nascam defends N$2 royalty rates

The Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam) has defended its royalty distribution model after member of parliament Frederick Shitana questioned reports on local musicians earning as little as N$2 per broadcast play.

Shitana recently argued that the long-standing remuneration structure, which he says dates back to 1990, is disadvantageous and amounts to “insulting” local musicians.

He has called for the matter to be tabled in the parliament as part of broader discussions on copyright reform.
Nascam acting chief executive Ferdinand Gertze, however, says the N$2 figure is widely misunderstood and does not represent a fixed tariff.

“The N$2 per play figure is not a set rate. It is calculated based on the total royalties collected from music users, including broadcasters, retailers, hotels, restaurants, schools and live event organisers, in accordance with Nascam tariffs,” he says.

As a collective management organisation, Nascam collects royalties locally and distributes them to authors, composers and publishers.
International royalties are administered through reciprocal agreements with foreign collecting societies.

Gertze says once the total distributable amount for a particular year is declared, it is processed through an automated royalty distribution system, known as Cosis Net.

“The amount per airplay is determined by factoring in verified broadcaster log sheets and the total declared distribution pool for that year. The system then allocates royalties proportionally to rights holders according to their ownership shares,” he says.

He stresses that distributions are data-driven rather than predetermined.

“Once the declared amount is determined, it is inserted into an automated distribution system that allocates funds proportionally to musical works aired during a specific period, based on verified airplay data.

“Each song receives an equal allocation per play within the relevant distribution pool,” he says, adding that broadcaster compliance plays a significant role in final payouts.

Gertze says existing legislation provides a basis for remuneration, but acknowledges shortcomings in the digital sphere.

“There is a need to amend existing legislation to better address online usage, digital platforms and related payment mechanisms, which are not yet adequately regulated,” he says.

The Namibian last week reported that Namibian musicians are still earning as little as N$2 per broadcast play, a rate Shitana says has remained unchanged since independence.

Shitana raised the issue during a recent workshop on the draft copyright bill, hosted by the Business and Intellectual Property Authority in Windhoek.

The proposed legislation is expected to be tabled in the parliament later this year and aims to strengthen legal protection for creative works.

At the workshop, Shitana said low remuneration rates continue to limit the financial viability of careers in music, with some artists receiving minimal royalty payments from Nascam.

“As public representatives, we will continue fighting for our country,” he said, describing the issue as a broader matter of economic fairness beyond the music sector.

He criticised the absence of a national system for registering international standard recording codes (ISRC), arguing that this restricts artists’ ability to earn from digital platforms.

“We have Namibians reaching over three million viewers online, yet they are not earning from that reach. If we do not have an ISRC system in place, who is collecting that money?” he asked.

“The time is now. We must act against this exploitation,” Shitana said.

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