"SAMRO is pleased to announce that we have entered into licensing agreements with short-form video content social media platform TikTok, global social media powerhouse Facebook, as well as the video streaming subscription platform Netflix," says SAMRO chairperson Nicholas Maweni.

"Thanks to the conclusion of these binding agreements, SAMRO will be able to collect royalties on behalf of members for all copyright-protected content that features on these platforms, with immediate effect," adds Maweni.

Maweni says that before the conclusion of these deals, platforms such as Facebook prohibited the use of copyright-protected content on their networks.

"This deal is going to enrich these platforms through the use of high-quality content produced by our members while, at the same time, broaden the scope and usage of member content," says Maweni. "This will inevitably result in enhanced revenue for SAMRO members."

"It is absolutely essential that, as SAMRO, we license all music users and ensure that we deliver maximum value to our members. The technological evolution we are experiencing is a welcome development as it creates new avenues through which the public can experience creative works — while at the same open up new opportunities for our members," Maweni says.

"SAMRO's deals with TikTok, Netflix and Facebook follow an already existing arrangement with the search engine Google. The SAMRO board is committed to efficiently administering music rights on behalf of music composers, authors and publishers," concludes Maweni. 

For more information, visit www.samro.org.za. You can also follow SAMRO on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.