Raphael Vassallo
The issue of unpaid royalties owed to Maltese songwriters and composers over the past three decades – believed to run into tens of thousands of euros – has once again resurfaced, with UK-based collecting society PRS for Music launching a fresh batch of initiatives in a bid to appease infuriated local artists.
But with fewer than 10 Maltese bands and singers attending the launch of the news PRS initiatives two months ago – compared to the 300+ who turned up for the Malta Union of Songwriters and Composers (UKAM)’s extraordinary meeting last year – it doesn’t look as though many Maltese copyright holders will be rising to the bait.
PRS for Music, a British collecting society which represents over 65,000 writers worldwide, has signalled its intention to turn over a new leaf for Maltese music: appointing music promoter Martin Pursey to take over from Kevin Dingli as its Malta-based agent, and launching a number of initiatives to make performance royalties from pubs and clubs more efficient for Maltese members.
Among these is the Small Gigs & Clubs scheme, which comes into effect as of this week. Under this scheme, if a member has performed at a pub, club, bar, community centre or hotel in the previous year, they will only need to submit a core set list online and PRS for Music will pay the songwriters/publishers of the works performed.
The scheme covers touring performers, resident performers and DJs.
Talking to MaltaToday, Pursey outlined the advantages for Maltese songwriters and composers, while also pointing out a widespread complaint among the collecting society’s own local members – namely, the lack of a reliable monitoring system for airplay and public performances.
“There are many writers in Malta who do not get broad radio or TV plays and this scheme is to help them receive royalties from the money PRS For Music collects. It will also enhance the information that the society relies upon to be able to distribute what is collected. You also have to realise that the Society collects this money on behalf of all writers worldwide who are members of PRS or sister societies around the world. The distribution process is an amazing feat in itself...”
Pursey declined to comment on the issue of unpaid back royalties, as he was not a PRS representative at the time when these payments were meant to be effected.
“The society implemented a scheme where members could submit claims backed with proof of performance in a one-off (unheard of, previously) payment,” he said. “This was based, I believe, on playlists and chart positions (even though there are no official charts here) submitted by the member themselves and by a very complex formula. Members were paid what they claimed once their claim was substantiated.”
But UKAM members who spoke to MaltaToday were evidently unimpressed.
“This would be a welcome initiative, if at least the way forward were founded on a trustworthy, two-way agreement where the artists really got what they deserved,” Howard Keith of Jagged House Promotions said. “Some of the so-called initiatives have been in place for some years for UK artists. Whether they were put into practice, conveniently twisted or used as a PR platform is a different story. Having local artists asked to perform for free at a local PRS event, while local artists are owed a backlog of royalties, is far from an initiative.”
Keith, who represents Ira Losco, Airport Impressions, Tribali and The Riffs among others, also supplied questions of his own. “Part of the issue raised last year concerned back payments which (at the time) had not yet been paid. Has this situation been rectified? And can you tentatively quantify the amount Maltese artists are/were owed? Every artist is different and all we can say is that the artists we know of did not get what they were promised, and have been complaining ever since. One cannot have faith in a brighter future if artists’ recent claims have been denied once again.”
Another UKAM member, David Vella of Temple Studios, reiterated the need for a new society to represent the interests of Maltese composers and songwriters.
“We feel it would be wiser to work with a smaller society who will take more interest and give back what is really owed. PRS are playing a technical game where they say they paid (some) artists, but unfortunately they have paid peanuts when compared to what is really claimed. As UKAM we are still looking into the best option which would eventually also lead to Malta having its own society. Unfortunately PRS have lost all credibility with us, and all the current PR to set the house in order is nothing but a way to re-ensure their renewal license to operate in Malta.”
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
