Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200808/20080808/article_369705.htm
KTV copyright fee sparks chorus of complaints
Created: 2008-8-8
Author:Lu Feiran
SHANGHAI KTV venues said yesterday they were still in talks with state-level authorities about new copyright payments, claiming the new fees were too high.
According to the Music Copyright Society of China, every karaoke room in Shanghai must pay 11.1 yuan (US$1.60) a day in copyright payments. The payments are the highest in the country, followed by Beijing with fees of 11 yuan.
Karaoke venues must pay the copyright fee to the society, which transfers the fee to song creators.
Shanghai has more than 27,000 karaoke rooms.
The society said the fee standard was made "according to the city's economic condition and KTVs' investigation." It also said KTVs should not transfer the payment onto consumers.
The Shanghai Culture and Entertainment Association said they were "astonished" to hear the fee standard. "We are still talking with the society about the payment," said the association's deputy director Xu Shuping.
Some KTV venues said they would not raise the price. Others said they had not been told about the new fees.
One venue, the Cashbox, said yesterday they had not been informed of the new payment standard, and would not adjust their present price.
Another company, the Jinbihuihuang KTV, said they had not decided whether to adjust the price of their karaoke rooms. "Since 2006, we have paid copyright payments of about 1 yuan a day a room. The new standard is absolutely beyond our ability," said Zhu Nan, general manager of the company. "We think 3 yuan to 4 yuan a day is acceptable."
China began charging karaoke venues copyright fees from 2006. The fees, initially only charged in big cities, have since been expanded to cover country areas.
According to the Music Copyright Society of China, every karaoke room in Shanghai must pay 11.1 yuan (US$1.60) a day in copyright payments. The payments are the highest in the country, followed by Beijing with fees of 11 yuan.
Karaoke venues must pay the copyright fee to the society, which transfers the fee to song creators.
Shanghai has more than 27,000 karaoke rooms.
The society said the fee standard was made "according to the city's economic condition and KTVs' investigation." It also said KTVs should not transfer the payment onto consumers.
The Shanghai Culture and Entertainment Association said they were "astonished" to hear the fee standard. "We are still talking with the society about the payment," said the association's deputy director Xu Shuping.
Some KTV venues said they would not raise the price. Others said they had not been told about the new fees.
One venue, the Cashbox, said yesterday they had not been informed of the new payment standard, and would not adjust their present price.
Another company, the Jinbihuihuang KTV, said they had not decided whether to adjust the price of their karaoke rooms. "Since 2006, we have paid copyright payments of about 1 yuan a day a room. The new standard is absolutely beyond our ability," said Zhu Nan, general manager of the company. "We think 3 yuan to 4 yuan a day is acceptable."
China began charging karaoke venues copyright fees from 2006. The fees, initially only charged in big cities, have since been expanded to cover country areas.
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