Intellectual property regulator Uganda Registration Services Bureau in partnership with Uganda Communications Commission, has warned the public against piracy and infringement of content and property, a rapidly growing vice in the country. This was during a broadcasters’ copyright workshop where the different industry players were cautioned and informed about their rights and obligations regarding the copyright system.
Speaking at the open dialogue, Mercy K. Kainobwisho, the Registrar General, Uganda Registration Services Bureau said, “Copyright not only imposes an obligation on broadcasters to seek authorization to broadcast content, but it also grants them rights in their broadcasts such as authorizing or prohibiting the broadcast of their broadcasts and the fixation of their broadcasts.”
Kainobwisho noted that, “These rights are infringed upon especially where one broadcaster, without authorization, broadcasts another broadcaster’s content, a practice which has become prevalent in the industry. It also infringes on the rights that are given through an exclusive license to a broadcaster to broadcast copyright content. Such acts of piracy continuously undermine the creative industry and deny content owners and authorized users to receive adequate remuneration from their activities.”
Meddie Kaggwa, the UCC Multimedia Head highlighted that. “In partnership with URSB and other stakeholders, we have continuously emphasized the need to support independent producers and encouraged sector players to look at the creative sector as a creative economy. The creators of the content need to earn from it, hence the need to protect their work from any competition or piracy.”
MultiChoice Uganda’s Rhonah Nuwakunda, who spearheads the organizations alignment in Regulatory recognized the need of gaining authorization to broadcast content. “The creative industry in Uganda has over the years needed regulations to not just govern them but also protect them. With this anti-piracy campaign, we hope to see a reduction in the cyber-crimes of piracy and infringement of intellectual property for the betterment of the industry and its beneficiaries.”
Christine Nagujja, the Head Public Relations Manager at StarTimes said that the biggest weakness we have in Uganda is not lack of laws but credible enforcement. “We hope that CMO through URSB and UCC continue such engagements to ensure that all players know their rights and the outcomes in case we go overboard. That way even enforcement by the relevant bodies will be easier and more informed on both sides,” she added.
URSB’s Miriam Nabatanzi stated that currently a total of 58 cases have been currently prosecuted/ are under investigation for the crimes of piracy and infringement of content and intellectual property. The regulators are set to sensitize the broadcasters and consumers and inform them about the outcomes of copyright infringement and piracy.
