Collecting nearly 400 billion VND in music copyright fees in 2024

(To Quoc) - In 2024, the total amount of royalties collected by the Vietnam Copyright Protection Center for Music (VCPMC) for the use of music copyrights was over 393 billion VND, an increase of 14.2% compared to 2023. This information was provided by Meritorious Artist and musician Dinh Trung Can, General Director of the Vietnam Copyright Protection Center for Music, at the 2024 year-end review ceremony, held on January 8th in Hanoi.

According to composer Dinh Trung Can, out of the total of over 393 billion VND in royalties collected in 2024, over 305 billion VND (78%) was collected through digital platforms, websites, and music applications. In 2024, the Center paid nearly 257 billion VND in royalties to copyright owners. It is expected that in January 2025, the Center will pay approximately 94 billion VND in royalties for the fourth quarter of 2024 to authors/copyright owners.

Composer Dinh Trung Can stated that, regarding the protection of the legal rights and interests of member authors, the Center has recently surveyed, collected documents and evidence, and filed lawsuits in many cases of copyright infringement, particularly in the areas of performance rights and copying rights. To date, the legal departments in both regions have handled a total of 79 cases of copyright infringement, intellectual property disputes, and contract disputes; 34 cases have been resolved, and the rest are in progress. In addition, there are many other cases and hundreds of online links (copying works) for which documents and evidence are currently being collected to address violations.

Meritorious Artist and composer Dinh Trung Can, Director General of the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center, delivered a speech.

Composer Dinh Trung Can shared that in 2024, the Center frequently faced difficulties in licensing and protecting rights in the performing arts sector, due to the complex situation of copyright infringement in the performance organization field, including domestic and international shows. Many organizations lacked self-awareness and voluntary compliance with their copyright payment obligations, finding ways to create difficulties and evade their obligations. Currently, a series of copyright-infringing programs are undergoing legal proceedings.

Furthermore, in the restaurant, cafe, and hotel service sectors (which use background music), many businesses are still avoiding their obligation to pay for copyright usage. In the pay-TV sector, many businesses are also delaying compliance…

In particular, given the current market for music usage and the inadequate regulations regarding copyright management, the Center is facing numerous copyright conflicts arising from other entities. This not only seriously affects the Center's operations and work progress but also causes disruption, inconvenience, and trouble for users. The greater consequence is serious damage to authors, as many, due to carelessness, have permanently lost their legitimate rights and interests, losing valuable assets – the culmination of their creative labor – their musical works, their intellectual offspring.

Representatives of the Vietnam Musicians Association presented a Certificate of Merit to the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center.

The Director General of the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center stated that in 2025, the Center will continue to focus on licensing music use, maintaining and increasing royalty income for member authors, strengthening data verification and processing to distribute and pay royalties to authors and owners. The Center will also be more proactive in reviewing and surveying the music market, handling copyright infringements, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of member authors; paying attention to member care and development, resolving complaints, providing legal advice to member authors, organizing mediation in case of disputes, and addressing requests from member authors…

Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, stated: In many countries, the copyright industry is considered the core of the cultural industry. Therefore, in the field of music, we have done very well in this area in recent years, especially with the crucial role played by the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center.

According to Mr. Bui Hoai Son, one of the concerns for everyone is how to make a living from their profession, so that they can dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their creative work and society can benefit from that dedication. To achieve this, copyright protection must be implemented effectively.

“Thanks to the efforts of the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center in recent times, the rights of many authors have been protected, giving them more confidence not only in the center's activities but also in their own creative careers. This has inspired the whole society, especially in developing an advanced Vietnamese music scene, rich in national identity, and more professionally oriented towards the world ,” Mr. Bui Hoai Son shared.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/thu-gan-400-ty-dong-tien-tac-quyen-am-nhac-trong-nam-2024-20250108212437317.htm