South African Music Rights Organization
The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) is a copyright asset management association based in South Africa. The South African Copyright Act created it with the goal of protecting music producers’ intellectual property by licensing music users, collecting license payments, and distributing income to them. More than 15,000 Southern African composers, lyricists/authors, and music publishers are represented by SAMRO. Performing rights are managed by this organization.
| Abbreviation | SAMRO |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1961 |
| Type | Not for profit |
| Headquarters | Braamfontein, South Africa |
|
Key people
|
Nicholas Maweni, Chairman |
| Website | samro |
History
The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (named after Dr. Gideon Roos Senior, a former Director-General of the South African Broadcasting Corporation) was founded in December 1961 under the chairmanship of Dr. Gideon Roos Senior, a former Director-General of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). [8]
SAMRO took over from the UK royalty collecting organisation PRS in January 1962, with 40 South African songwriters and 13 music publishers. SAMRO became a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers in June 1962. (CISAC). Strike Vilakazi, the writer of the anti-apartheid song Meadowlands, was the first black member of SAMRO in the same year.
SAMRO celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012 with a series of events, including the Builders’ Awards, which honored artists, employees, and others who have made significant contributions to the organization over the years.
The Wawela Music Awards were established by SAMRO in 2013 to honor South African composers who have made major contributions to the worldwide and local music scenes.
SAMRO changed its name to Southern African Music Rights Organisation NPC on May 1, 2013, after converting from a corporation limited by guarantee (a corporate entity no longer permitted by the Companies Act 71 of 2008) to a non-profit organization.
SAMRO announced the transfer of its mechanical rights licensing activity to CAPASSO in March 2014. (Composers Authors and Publishers Association),
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