TikTok is not yet done with Africa and continues to forge strategic alliances on the continent. The ByteDance subsidiary recently entered into a licensing agreement with the Southern African Music Rights Organization and the Composers Authors and Publishers Association. The agreement is multi-year and covers 58 territories. It provides for the payment of royalties to South African songwriters, composers and music publishers. This is for every time their music is used on the video sharing social network. The revenue potential is huge as TikTok has an audience of around 6 million people in South Africa.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with TikTok to ensure that Pan-African songwriters are supported on the platform. With the growing focus on African music, more and more African songwriters are on the verge of achieving global superstar status and TikTok will play a major role in showcasing their talents to the world,” Wiseman Ngubo, the association’s chief operating officer said.
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Royalties on TikTok are calculated on a pro rata share of the available pool. In other words, they are determined by a person’s market share and usage, during each period. The agreement does not provide for a fixed rate per broadcast.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer
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