How much do Belarus musicians get from their royalties?
Monthly payments differ for various musicians. Alexander Tsikanovich gets between Br2 million and Br4 million. Ihar Varashkevich receives between Br8 thousand to Br800 thousand, The European Radio for Belarus has learned. Most of the European countries currently have a copyright law which allows legal successors of famous composer and poets to receive royalties within 50 years since the death of the author. Soon, this term is planned to be increased up to 90 years. The issue for the heirs of top artistes is very acute, as they can count on monthly payments with 5-6 zeros.
Belarus also has a copyright law. There is even an organization – the Belarusian Copyright Society -- which monitors that all who use the songs of local composers and text writers pay out relevant royalties to the authors. The European Radio for Belarus has decided to find out the amounts of royalties that Belarusian artistes get for having their songs on radio and television.
N.R.M. frontman Liavon Volski admitted to Euroradio that he received monthly payments from the copyright society. The amount would vary every time. He can’t explain why one month gets Br200 thousand and Br600 thousand during the other month.
Volski: “I have registered part of my projects. I don’t know why there is such a difference, but payments can vary between Br200 thousand and Br600 thousand. I am not going to find out why there is such a difference. If you get into details, you will not understand anything, first of all. Secondly, nobody will be happy, and you will eventually end up getting less”.
KRAMA leader Ihar Varashkevich also gets different monthly amounts. He does not understand, either why this happens with the same number of rotations on the radio and television.
Varashkevich: “One month, it can be Br 8,000, another – 80 thousand and 800 thousand during the third month. This happens with the same number of rotations on the radio. I don’t understand why this happens”.
Yuhen Chalyshau’s songs are performed by such artistes like Volha Barabanshchykava, Harli band and many others, He says royalty payments vary from Br1 million to 3 million monthly. Therefore, he has no grudge against the Belarusian Copyright Society. The only problem is that the local copyright watchdog does not always monitor the use of his songs by the foreign electronic media. Correspondingly, he gets not royalty money from them.
“My songs were rotated for a rather long time on the radio and television in Ukraine. But when I try to find out what happens with my royalties in Ukraine, I am told that Ukraine unfortunately pays badly. I hardly know if this is a problem of Ukraine or other organization”, Chalyshau says.
However, Alexander Tsikhanovich manages to get royalties from the Russian and Ukrainian electronic media through the Belarusian Copyright Society.
“Our organization has relevant agreements. Perhaps, the Russian and Ukrainian copyright laws are effective here. Actually, I don’t know, but payments come from there”
He gets between Br2 million to Br 4 million monthly.
Yuahen Kalmykov, the director of Lyapis Trubetskoi band confessed to Euroradio that they did not register copyright for their songs in principle and did not get royalties for radio and TV rotations. Unfortunately, other Belarusian musicians can’t afford this to happen and are happy with even the little money they get from the Belarusian Copyright Society. They also try to avoid too many questions to the staff of the society.
Belarus also has a copyright law. There is even an organization – the Belarusian Copyright Society -- which monitors that all who use the songs of local composers and text writers pay out relevant royalties to the authors. The European Radio for Belarus has decided to find out the amounts of royalties that Belarusian artistes get for having their songs on radio and television.
N.R.M. frontman Liavon Volski admitted to Euroradio that he received monthly payments from the copyright society. The amount would vary every time. He can’t explain why one month gets Br200 thousand and Br600 thousand during the other month.
Volski: “I have registered part of my projects. I don’t know why there is such a difference, but payments can vary between Br200 thousand and Br600 thousand. I am not going to find out why there is such a difference. If you get into details, you will not understand anything, first of all. Secondly, nobody will be happy, and you will eventually end up getting less”.
KRAMA leader Ihar Varashkevich also gets different monthly amounts. He does not understand, either why this happens with the same number of rotations on the radio and television.
Varashkevich: “One month, it can be Br 8,000, another – 80 thousand and 800 thousand during the third month. This happens with the same number of rotations on the radio. I don’t understand why this happens”.
Yuhen Chalyshau’s songs are performed by such artistes like Volha Barabanshchykava, Harli band and many others, He says royalty payments vary from Br1 million to 3 million monthly. Therefore, he has no grudge against the Belarusian Copyright Society. The only problem is that the local copyright watchdog does not always monitor the use of his songs by the foreign electronic media. Correspondingly, he gets not royalty money from them.
“My songs were rotated for a rather long time on the radio and television in Ukraine. But when I try to find out what happens with my royalties in Ukraine, I am told that Ukraine unfortunately pays badly. I hardly know if this is a problem of Ukraine or other organization”, Chalyshau says.
However, Alexander Tsikhanovich manages to get royalties from the Russian and Ukrainian electronic media through the Belarusian Copyright Society.
“Our organization has relevant agreements. Perhaps, the Russian and Ukrainian copyright laws are effective here. Actually, I don’t know, but payments come from there”
He gets between Br2 million to Br 4 million monthly.
Yuahen Kalmykov, the director of Lyapis Trubetskoi band confessed to Euroradio that they did not register copyright for their songs in principle and did not get royalties for radio and TV rotations. Unfortunately, other Belarusian musicians can’t afford this to happen and are happy with even the little money they get from the Belarusian Copyright Society. They also try to avoid too many questions to the staff of the society.
